Mummy Pigs!

Ah, Halloween, the one time of year when you can serve gross-looking food and people won’t run away in horror (and if they do, that means you’ve done a good job, not ruined a recipe!). I also love how you can turn everyday foods into something fun and lighthearted, even if it’s just for one day.

This year, my sister-in-law is throwing a Halloween party for my nephew and nieces and their friends, and she asked if I had any savory, kid-friendly Halloween treats up my sleeve. Sweets are always easy to find, but recipes for themed savory foods can be much more difficult. I gave her a bunch of suggestions, but I thought I’d post my favorite – Mummy Pigs (ie Pigs in Blankets). (I’ve also been getting tons of hits on my photo of these on Flickr, so it seemed like a good thing to write about now.)

These are perfect because they combine a food that almost every kid will eat (hot dogs) with something that almost every kid gets interested in, even if only briefly (mummies). You can also make them ahead and just pop them in the oven at the last minute, making them perfect for any Halloween parties you might have planned. True, you can make them with full-sized hot dogs, but I like how the mini hot dogs come out looking more to scale – the regular ones look too skinny to me.

What’s your favorite savory Halloween dish?

Mummy Pigs
1 package (tube) refrigerated croissant dough
1 package tiny hot dogs (cocktail wieners, if you will)
Mustard

Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.

Unroll croissant dough and cut in half. Cut thin (about ¼-inch wide) pieces, enough for one for each hot dog. Wrap each hot dog with a strip of dough – don’t wrap the dough too solidly (leave a few gaps here and there) or it won’t look too much like mummy wrappings once they’ve baked. Also leave a little room near the “head” for the eyes (but don’t leave enough room for a full face or it’ll look like they’re wearing hats once they’ve baked). Arrange wrapped hot dogs on the tray so that they are not touching.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and golden. Cool slightly, then add dots of mustard for eyes.

Cheap Eats: Bad Dawgs

Hot dogs are a great food because they can easily be a snack OR a meal. At Bad Dawgs on Massachusetts Avenue near Symphony Hall, hot dogs come alone or in pairs and with a wide array of toppings to fill all of your hot dog needs.

The hot dogs themselves are very good, all-beef with a snappy casing and a good mix of spices. The toppings are almost extraneous, but it's easy to pick out a combination that works for you. Choose from the named dogs, such as the Bloodhound Dawg (barbeque sauce, bacon bits, and shredded cheddar) or the German Shepherd Dawg (sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard), or pick your own toppings to get it just right. If you're not a fan of beef hot dogs, choose from turkey or vegetarian dogs.

If you're not feeling the hot dogs, Bad Dawgs also offers chicken wings, soup, sandwiches, nachos, baked potatoes, and sliders. Or order a combo with fries and a soda for a full meal for well under $10.

Bawd Dawgs is located at 334 Massachusetts Avenue, at Huntington Avenue. They are open from 11am to midnight (or later on the weekends).

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Hot Dog Safari 2008

How could you not want to go to an event with the name "Hot Dog Safari"? Eddie Andelman's 19th Annual Hot Dog Safari was held this past Sunday at Suffolk Downs, and it was something I felt I had to experience at least once. The event benefits the Joey Fund.

To say that the event was a madhouse is putting it kindly. Many of the attendees were acting like they hadn't been let out of their houses in years, pushing and shoving and standing in the way of everything (in other words, it was similar to a typical day at Market Basket). I even saw some people wrapping up hot dogs in napkins and stuffing them in bags to take home - I don't know about them, but I was ill with hot dog by the time we left, and there was no way I was going to eat another one for a while.

The booths were set up along one wall, with different restaurants and meat companies offering their wares. For some reason, there were other companies offering hot dogs as well (Long's Jewelers offering Pearl hot dogs?). The longest line was for the Sausage Guy, so we gave that one a pass. We did manage to try about half of the offerings, and like I said, that was more than enough hot dog for me.

The overall winner was the Pearl hot dog, with a really nice snap from the natural casing, a really juicy interior, and a very even blend of spices. Bad Dawg was a close second, but it was overall too salty, throwing the flavor off balance. Fudrucker's also had a good dog with a nice casing and balanced spicing. So after 3 great hot dogs, we were really surprised by Kelley's offering - it was completely tasteless and mushy, but they were offering it on buttered and grilled buns, which kept their line long. Just gross.

There were a few other options besides hot dogs as well. Firefly's barbeque was on hand with pulled pork sandwiches - delicious, but I found a large piece of bone in my first bite, which always turns me off. I picked at the rest, and there were some excellent charred bits in among the softer meat. Harrow's Chicken Pies was also there; I'm not usually a fan of pot pies, but theirs was much thicker and heartier than others I've had, and it was fantastic.

The biggest disappointment of the day? No one was wearing a pith helmet! I go to a safari, I expect someone to be in full safari gear, or at least in a pith helmet. I have to say, I was really let down by this.

So while this was a fun event to go to once, I doubt I'd go back. I mean, the next time I feel the need for a side-by-side hot dog comparison, I'll grab a few friends and fire up the grill.