#222 Oven Baked Corn Dogs

Overall Grade: B
Preparation Ease: B
Flavor Grade: B
Repeat Possibility: A

I love a good fair corn dog, so I was excited to bake these little ditties. Yet, they didn't turn out exactly like I wanted them.

The recipe was really basic. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, egg, milk and chili powder, hot sauce and cumin. I didn't have chili powder so I used Penzy's (my favorite spice brand...which reminds me...I need more Vanilla Sugar!) Chili 3000, which gave the corn muffin an awesome flavor.

I used BallPark All Beef Bun Length Franks.

You simply (ha...yeah...that's what I thought!) bamboo skewer the dog and dip it in the batter and bake. RR distinctly says not to put too much batter on or it will slide off during baking. Well, I clearly don't know what too much is (see below). It all slid off and the batter was more on the side of the dog than around it. So they didn't exactly turn out like fair dogs. BOOOOO! So- i guess you have to try these a couple of times to get the right about of batter (which is why I'll repeat it!).

I loved the flavor of the cornbread, and had enough batter left over to make tiny muffins...but I really wanted that flavor around my dog. So I was disappointed by that. Otherwise, I think the flavor would have rocked.

So- I'll try them again, just with modifications. And I think I like them better for lunch.

#242 Tomato-Basil Pasta Nests

Overall Grade: A
Preparation Ease: A
Flavor Grade: A-
Repeat Possibility: A


I had picked several different recipes for this week (using random number generator), but I realized that I had some food that I needed to fix before it went bad, mainly, Costco's Chicken and Mozzarella Raviolis. We got a pack (of 2) with a coupon a while back, and while they weren't my favorites on the first try- we needed to eat them up. So I decided to make the Tomato Basil Pasta sauce (a previously enjoyed favorite) to go on top. So- yes- I modified.

The sauce is super easy, just crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, and pre-made pesto (store bought, again from Costco- have you had it? Its SOOO yummy!), garlic, and parmesan cheese. I didn't measure anything and didn't add the onions.  But it was so good.

We scooped it on the raviolis and VOILA...dinner! Again, I don't love the raviolis...but the sauce is amazing. I gave it a flavor grade of A- though because I used Hunts tomato sauce and Aldi tomato paste (Which I'll never buy again). Had I used crushed tomatoes- it would have been 10x better. So, again, user error on that one! Lesson: use good quality Crushed Tomatoes. (I'll be canning some this summer...for sure!)

I told you I'd have a picture this time! 

This was the final scene. Take and bake French Baguette that was slathered with butter, the ravs, the sauce, some sun-dried tomatoes, and goat cheese that I got at the farmers market on Saturday, from a local farm. 

Oh- and we didn't eat all the bread! And the leftover sauce will be saved...probably for pita pizzas, which is my favorite use for leftover sauce. And I should have fixed a salad, but I didn't! Next time!

Later this week...#222 Oven-Baked Corndogs, and #11 Italian Sub Stoup

#174 Chili Dog Bacon Cheeseburger and Fiery Fries

Overall Grade: A
Preparation Ease: A
Flavor Grade: B
Repeat Possibility: B+

Ok- simply put- this is a hamburger with hotdogs cut up in it, and bacon and cheese on top. I mean, seriously, how could it be bad? It can't! Is it good for you? No! But tasty...yes!

The burgers were easy enough to prepare...just cut up hot dogs, mix with the beef, hot sauce, Ray's signature meat seasoning Montreal Steak Seasoning, some other stuff and grill it! Put the cheese and bacon on top and you have a good time! We used Martin's Potato Rolls for the bread...and you can't get a better soft hamburger bun! So overall...great!

The fries were OK. Have you had Trader Joe's Garlic Fries? The Fry part is fantastic...but the garlic sauce ruins them...so I was a little frightened of the hot sauce/garlic/butter combo for the fries...but I wish I would have smothered them in the sauce. So it was my bad that they were just OK!

Ray recommends serving with veggie sticks or oil and vinegar slaw- but we didn't have room! The burgers were huge and the fries added heft.

I did learn a new cooking technique from the recipe for bacon. And I'm sure it's not new to anyone else- I'd just never done it. Ray recommends a broiler pan...but since I don't have one- I took 3 skewers and placed them on the edges of a small jellyroll pan. I put the bacon strips over the skewers and cooked 3 minutes on each side...broiled on HI. It was so quick and easy and not much mess at all!

My husband and I have have wildly different taste...so while I loved the burgers he prefers just plan meat with a little salt and pepper. So if you don't love a lot of flavor- or are just into the classics, skip this one. But if you like a little kick in the pants...do it up!

No pictures of this one...but I will next time...promise!

This May Be Crazy

Wait- I know it's crazy! I'm not trying to be Julia & Julia or some crazed Rachel Ray fan...I'm just sick of thinking about dinner. I want to be on auto pilot...I work better that way. So I'm going to cook all 366 (there's an extra one for leap year) recipes from Rachel Rays 365: No Repeats cookbook. I've had the cookbook for several years, and fiddled with some recipes, but I've never really gotten into it until now.

Here are my rules. 

1) This will take longer than a year because... 

      a) I have my own recipes that I like to cook

      b) We have Burgerfest and Hotdogfest every once in a while

      c) We will have to eat leftovers

      d) Sometimes I need a break from the kitchen...so T cooks or we go out

      e) I love Trader Joe's Pot Stickers

      f) I don't want to gain weight on this little journey  

      i) We may really like some recipes that we want to do over and over!

2) I will use a Random Number Generator on my iPhone to pick 2 weeks of recipes at a time. But if too many of the ingredients don't cross over- I'll redo! I don't want a lot of waste. 

3) We don't eat/like fish...so fishy recipes will not be used, unless I can modify them to use pork, chicken, or beef. 

4) I will substitute/add/delete as necessary. For instance, I can't find arugula anywhere. So...I'll change as necessary. But remember, part of this is that I don't want to think about it...so I won't be doing too much of this. 

5) I will try to post pictures of the food...but that may or may not happen.

6) I will give my opinion of the recipe. I'm not a cook, but I did teach Sociology at a cooking school- does that count? I didn't think so! Well- I don't have a sophisticated palate, but my husband does! But I like good food...and I like a variety of things...so I will be telling you my honest opinion. 

7) I'm not affiliated with Rachel Ray at all. She has no idea I'm doing this...actually, neither does my husband...but ANYWHO. I'm not being paid to do this, I haven't been approached by her people...nothing. I just don't want to think about dinner anymore! I love too cook-I just lose creativity by the end of the day to come up with menus!

8) Because I'm not affiliated with Rachel Ray- I won't be posting the recipes. They aren't mine- they are hers! So if my comments sound intriguing...buy her book!