Chili Dogs!

Have I ever mentioned how much I secretly love chili dogs? Probably not, considering it's a secret love. Well, I do, and I don't care who knows it.

Hot dogs and I, well, we've always had a THING.



According to my mom, one of my first meals ever in a school cafeteria was a footlong hot dog. I was maybe five or six at the time. Why they ever thought serving FOOTLONG hot dogs to a 6-year-old was an excellent idea I'll never know, but that's besides the point.

Anyhow, I came home that afternoon, apparently shocked they made such a thing. I've been told the conversation with my mom after school went something a little like this:

Me: You should've seen it. That sucker was THIS BIG (outstretching my arms as wide as I could to demonstrate the apparent size of this footlong hot dog).

My mom: Really?

My sister (who, at 3 years old, was listening intently to our conversation): Sucker?!? I thought you said you had a hot dog!

OK, so maybe that's only funny to our family, but it's a story that my mom loves to retell. Usually, my hot dog condiments are standard: spicy deli mustard, ketchup and pickle relish. But then I met my first chili dog.

It was at Dairy Queen of all the places. It's the only thing I've ever eaten at DQ, besides their awesome Mint Oreo Cookie blizzards, of course. Somehow, the chili dog was pretty awesome.

I'm sure if I went back today and ordered one they'd be much less awesome. I'm not really a big fan of fast food anymore, and when I'm craving a chili dog I make one at home.

This one was a Kosher beef hot dog (the only way to go, imho) on an Ezekiel sprouted grain hot dog bun topped with Turkey White Bean Chili and 2% shredded sharp cheddar. Now how's that a use for leftovers?

On the side were my favorite oven fries from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. They come out super crispy every.single.time. This version had salt, pepper, and garlic powder sprinkled on them before baking.

And because I was nursing a super tired body and a bit of the "Margarita Flu" (as my dad calls it) from playing trivia the night before, I had a mug of Chai green tea.



It came with a gentle reminder:



I don't know about you, but I could definitely practice a little more patience!