Hot Dog Helper

If you're going to eat a hot dog, don't limit yourself to the usual ketchup, mustard, and relish.  Up your frankfurter game with these topping hacks that work whether you like your tube steaks boiled, grilled, pan-fried, or microwaved.

The Breakfast Dog

1 egg
shredded Cheddar cheese
salsa

1. Cook your hot dog any way you prefer. 
2. Scramble an egg.
3. Top the hot dog with the scrambled eggs, some cheese, and some salsa.

Tomato-Feta Dog

Tzatziki sauce
halved cherry tomatoes
cucumber slices
crumbled feta cheese
fresh dill

1. Cook your hot dog any way you prefer.
2. Place a hot dog in a bun and top it with the remaining ingredients.

BLT Dogs

15 grams mayonnaise
15 grams sour cream
2 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 green onion top, thinly sliced
dill pickles, diced
lettuce leaves, thinly sliced

1. Mix the tomato, bacon, pickles, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 4 hours to allow the flavours to blend.
2. Cook your hot dog any way you prefer then place a hot dog in a bun and top with the remaining ingredients.

Pineapple-Basil Barbeque Dog

barbeque sauce
fresh chopped pineapple
red onion, finely chopped
fresh basil, finely chopped

1. Cook your hot dog any way you prefer. 
2. Place a hot dog in a bun and top it with the remaining ingredients.

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog

bacon
cooking oil (for frying)

1. Wrap a hot dog with a strip of bacon and secure everything with a toothpick. Place the hot dog in the refrigerator.
2. Heat the cooking oil in either a deep fryer or a large saucepan. When the oil reaches 175 ºC, place the 175C until the bacon is crispy and browned, about 2 to 5 minutes. 
3. Drain the hot dog on a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot dogs in toasted buns.

Anytime Summer Salad

As someone who has lived in Canada his entire life, I'll never understand people who like winter over summer. My hometown is the world's coldest capital city more often than not. You would think by now I would get accustomed to all the ice, slush, and snow that make every winter seem rougher and more frigid than the last, far from it.  I'm one of those people who never complain when the mercury rises above 30 degrees Celsius.  Mainly because I know windchills below 30 degrees Celsius will soon be a regular part of the forecast. For me, it's much easier to enjoy the weather when it's hot and sunny than when it's cold and dreary. Yes, there are bright days in the winter, but the cold saps any desire to be out in it for any longer than I have to. For those who also prefer the weather hot and muggy over bone-chillingly frigid hopefully, this recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks can take you back to the dog days of summer, or at least be a sweet and salty treat for after you're done shoveling your walkway.

Ingredients:

300 g fresh watermelon, cubed or scooped (yes, this would be better when watermelon is in season)
120 g feta cheese, cut into small pieces
40 g red onion, sliced as thin as possible, soaked and drained (water or vinegar will work)
15 g extra virgin olive oil
3 g balsamic vinegar (or 6 g lime juice)

•  Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, making sure everything is coated.
• Play with the tastes by adding black olives for more saltiness; red pepper flakes for more heat; and mint leaves for their refreshing cooling effect.