Go to main contentsGo to search barGo to main menu
Friday, July 4, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Ad

What's Cookin' in Kelli's Kitchen

What's Cookin' in Kelli's Kitchen

Spring ranks in my top two favorite seasons. As I typed that first sentence, I realized how wacky that sounds considering there are only four seasons--but it’s true. Give me a year entirely made up of spring and fall with a sprinkling of “float the river” days and “braised meat and mulled cider” days and I would be a satisfied gal.

I like the unpredictability of the transitions--wildly varying weather with hints of either the warm summer to come or the nip of winter as the sunsets. Spring also brings with it the start of one of my favorite (non-canonical) seasons: Baseball! Oh, how I have missed baseball. It always hits me in mid-January--mild nostalgia (remember when it was last baseball season) and anticipation. No food is quite as ubiquitous at a baseball game as the hot dog.

So in honor of Opening Day, here is my salute to the mighty dog. I have some highly cultivated opinions when it comes to hot dogs: 1. Mustard is better than Ketchup 2. Jumbo size or bun-length dogs are where it is at 3. I’m an “all-beef ” hot dog gal 4. Premium buns are preferred But ultimately, I am up for a hot dog whatever the topping, and I promise I won’t shame you for your hot dog choices (ketchup).

I also have a preferred cooking method for hot dogs (and other sausages). While you can totally get away with just throwing a hot dog on a grill, heating a dog in a flavorful liquid until warmed-through before grilling ensures that your hot dog stays plump and doesn’t split open. This technique is especially useful with raw sausages. By simmering your sausages in liquid before grilling, you avoid the tragedy that is a bratwurst that is charred on the outside and still raw in the middle.

For the liquid, you can use anything flavorful (beer, chicken stock, bean broth). Make sure to season thoroughly with salt and feel free to add other ingredients like onions, sauerkraut, bay leaves, and mustard. The sky's the limit! Combine 2 cups of liquid with your seasoning ingredients into a pan, add your sausages & hot dogs, and bring to a simmer directly over the hot side of the grill. Cook until you reach a core temperature of around 140 degrees. You can hold your hot cooked hot dogs in the warming liquid until you are ready to eat. Then place the sausage directly on the hot side of the grill and crisp it up on all sides.

Now is the best part… Hot Dog Toppings!

Again, there is no wrong or right way to top a hot dog. I am going to tell you about some of my favorites!

Chicago-ish Dog

Celery Salt, Tomatoes, Onions, Mustard, and a pepper

Bahn Mi Dog Bacon Wrapped

Quick-pickled carrots and cucumbers, Jalapeno, Cilantro, Sriracha Mayo

Peanut Butter and Jelly Dog

Bacon-Wrapped Peanut Butter and Lattin Farms Jalaberry Jam

Jalapeno Popper Dog

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno, Cream Cheese, Cheddar

Mexican Street Corn Dog

Grilled Corn, Chile Powder, Mayo, Cilantro, Sand Hill Dairy Queso Fresco

Steakhouse Dog

Bacon-Wrapped Bleu Cheese, Grilled Onions, Steakhouse seasoning

The possibilities are endless! Top it as you will - but let us all lift our buns in salute to the spring, to baseball, and the mighty hot dog.

Kelli Kelly - Slinger of produce. Slurper of dumplings. Person of the bean.


Share
Rate

Comment

Comments

July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1Page no. 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2Page no. 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3Page no. 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4Page no. 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5Page no. 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6Page no. 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7Page no. 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8Page no. 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9Page no. 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10Page no. 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11Page no. 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12Page no. 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13Page no. 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14Page no. 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15Page no. 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16Page no. 16
COMMENTS
Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
SUPPORT OUR WORK