Summer Hot Dogs Toppers

Last summer when I went to California to visit Morgan, we thought we would make many fancy recipes for the blog while I was there. But we ended up making nothing and not wanting to cook — go figure! One night we wanted to grill out hot dogs, but we wanted to make them fancier for dinner. We settled on grilled pineapple and onions as toppings. Once we took the first bite, we knew we did something right. Who knew pineapple was a hot dog’s best friend?

So this summer, on one of the first warm nights, this recipe came to mind and I made them for my husband, Joe. We started brainstorming other toppings that would make a summer hot dog gourmet and fun. My love for grilled corn came to mind and my recent obsession for cole slaw and making pickles sounded like it could make its way into these recipes as well

Next time you feel basic for wanting a hot dog or want to shake it up, whip up one of these toppings to serve on top of your plain-jane-hotdog. Have a topping bar with these goods at your next summer cookout or Fourth of July party, and you will be the real deal.

Toss the cabbage and carrot with teh salt in a colander and set over a medium bowl. Let stand until the cabbage wilts and drains, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse the cabbage and carrot under cold water. Press, but do not squeeze to drain; pat dry with paper towels

Combine cabbage, carrot, onion, mayonnaise, celery seeds and vinegar in a medium bowl. Toss to coat a season with pepper to taste. Served chilled. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days)

Serve slaw and a pickle on top of grilled hotdog on a toasted bun. 

Chop pineapple and onion into large bite-sized pieces and place on skewers to grill. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Turn skewers occasionally until they develop grill marks and are fully cooked. Remove from grill and let cool. Chop into smaller pieces and place in a small serving bowl.

Serve pineapple & onion on top of grilled hotdog on a toasted bun. 

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Brush corn and jalapeños with the oil and place vegetables over the grill. Turn occasionally until they develop grill marks and are fully cooked. Remove from grill and let cool. 

Peel away the skins from the jalapeños and finely chop the peppers and corn. Add both vegetables to a large bowl along with onion, lime zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days)

Serve corn salsa on top of grilled hotdog on a toasted bun. 

Watermelon Orzo Salad

I’ve shared a watermelon cucumber salad on the blog before, but I’m not done sharing more variations of how to eat watermelon this summer (I’m obsessed). Last summer, our friends Paul & Christine had friends over for lunch and served this as a side at their cookout. It was by far my favorite part of the meal, but honestly anything with basil and feta usually is. I hope this refreshing salad makes it into your summer recipe rotation. Despite the simplicity of the recipe, the richness of the ingredients make it taste more complex, it’s a real crowd pleaser! 

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil; cook until done, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain orzo and rinse under cold water; allow to drain completely. Once orzo is cool, toss with remaining ingredients in a serving bowl. Enjoy!

Tyler Lee of Do Good Donuts

One of my fondest childhood memories remains the Sunday trips to the donut shop for a blueberry donut and chocolate milk I took so often with my dad. I’m sure it wasn’t, but in my mind, it seems like nearly every Sunday morning, this was our date. My donut choices evolved from pink sprinkles, to blueberry cake, to simple donut holes when I got to my pre-teen years. My dad always got a bear-claw. Over twenty years later and those donut dates still feel like some of my best days.

Tyler Lee, of Do Good Donuts, is in the business of creating those same lasting memories. Ever since her sweet and humble corner donut shop popped up in our neighborhood a few months ago, it's been a destination for simple, wholesome treats that everyone keeps talking about.

“I never thought I would get so lucky and turn my dream of being a business owner into a reality,” Tyler says.

In the same year that Tyler gave birth to her first baby, Juniper, she also brought her business to life. Tyler says she’d love to coin the term “donut date,” and that seeing the neighborhood come out to not only support, but also love, her little shop is incredible. Centered around family and quality time with the ones you love, Tyler leans on her own family for support.

“Peter [Tyler’s husband] has a super infectious giggle of a laugh. He is my rock and the most amazing father. Juniper is 17 months old and the light of our family. She is a sweet little one and her favorite thing to do is share her snacks and say hi to puppies.” Tyler says, “We've had so much help with Juni from Peter's mom and sister. I think that's partly why I'm able to look back on Juni's first year as one of my best. It takes a village!”

Tyler came to Long Beach to attend college and she fell in love. “Its diversity, its friendliness, its quirkiness, its architecture. I often drive around the beautiful neighborhoods and still can't believe I live here and this is where my kids will grow up. Long Beach is the best big city with a small-town feel.”  

Considering it's National Donut Day and Tyler owns a donut shop, perhaps we should be sharing a donut recipe! But when I asked Tyler to share something that felt close to her heart, she nearly immediately told me about this savory, comforting Korean chicken stew that she and her husband make weekly for their family. Taught to Peter by his mother and then passed on to Tyler, this one-pot meal is the epitome of simple, good, shareable food. You can easily customize the dish by adding carrots or other vegetables and more or less spice. 

The Korean culture being passed down to her daughter by Peter and his side of the family is not lost on Tyler. It's a source of pride for their family, and she's proud Juniper is being raised with influence from so many different cultures. Maybe this stew will be the first dish she and Peter teach Juniper to make on her own.  

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven and brown both sides of chicken thighs.  
2. Toss in chopped onion and cook until soft. Once onions are soft and fragrant, toss in garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.  
3. Add gochujang and stir in to combine. Add half a cup of water to almost cover the chicken then cook on medium until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. (Cover it with a lid if you want it to cook faster and have a hungry family to feed!) 
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, but not falling apart.
5. Roughly chop or ribbon green onions and dress with soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.
6. Taste the chicken and add salt & pepper or more gochujang. Adding more gochujang will add spice to your dish, so add cautiously. 
7. Serve over cooked white rice and top with green onion garnish. Enjoy! 

**Tyler says this dish makes even better leftovers!** 

Coconut Chicken Chickpea Curry + Cilantro Lime Rice

Honestly, I’m still surprised I made a curry recipe that I love, especially one that I love enough to be sharing with the world. My history with making curry is bleak and discouraging, so I had almost written it off for good after multiple sub-par attempts. We happily resigned ourselves to our local Indian restaurant any time we had a curry craving.

But one day a couple months ago, a lone can of chickpeas and a leftover can of coconut milk in the pantry got me thinking I should try again. My beautiful Indian spice collection I inherited from my friend Jessie when she moved last year provided added encouragement.

I spent some time Googling recipes and making a list of ingredients I knew I wanted to use — the two cans from my pantry, collard greens and chicken were on the top of the list. I combined several different recipes and methods and landed here, a sweet spot of hearty curry goodness.

The first night I made it, we had our friend Nick over who claimed I could put the Indian restaurant out of business! I laughed a lot, but it was so soul-warming that it was all the affirmation I needed to know I had finally made a delicious curry!

The next month I made two big pots of the curry for our monthly supper club, plated up ten servings of this deliciousness in our tiny apartment, and loved it even more. I was cooking with the windows and doors open, and everyone who came into our apartment that night told me they could smell the goodness from the road as soon as they got out of their cars! 

Not only will your house (and potentially your whole street!) smell like heaven, I can guarantee you’ll have some happy & full bellies after you serve this Indian comfort food. I hope you and your people enjoy it just as much as we have! 

1. Heat a wok or your largest skillet over med-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and cook the chicken breast until golden brown and cooked thru, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
2. With the heat still over med-high, melt another tablespoon of coconut oil in the wok. Add in all the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until starting to brown slightly on the edges, but still crisp tender, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the spices and stir to combine. Add in the tomatoes, coconut milk, lime juice and chickpeas, stir to combine, cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the chicken back in, and cook for another few minutes until heated through.
3. Spoon the coconut chicken chickpea curry over rice and serve warm. Top with more red pepper flakes if you like more spice.

1. In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Once the rice has begun to boil, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes.
3. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
4. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.