As we are preparing for a snow storm tonight, 4″-5″possibility, we are pulling in and having a nice indoor evening planned. We are pulling out the board games, hot cocoa, and cookies. Time for one last wintery night in but our minds are firmly turning to thoughts of summer.

As summer is coming, hopefully quickly, we are looking to grilling hot dogs! My family loves a good hot dog with toppings they can customize. A simple chili with a toppings bar is fun and lets everyone have exactly what they want on their hot dog.

Verdict: My kids like hot dogs but only about once or twice a month. They particularly like when they can make their own. Hot dogs are a simple go to meal in a hurry on days when things start to get hectic. Add a side of beans and veggies and it is a perfectly simple meal. This chili sauce is super simple and comes together in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 all beef hot dogs, about 1/2 pound
• 8 hot dog rolls
• Toppings as desired: 1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar, diced onion, pickled jalapenos, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, etc…

Directions:

Chili:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil gets warm, add the onion and cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the ketchup, chili powder, and mustard; simmer for 15 minutes until thick; season with salt and pepper.

Hot Dogs:

1. While the chili is cooking parboil the hot dogs first before grilling: bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the hot dogs for about 5 minutes. Then cook your hot dogs in a large pan or grill them.
2.  Brush the insides of the rolls with the remaining olive oil and place them face down on the grill or place them on the rack of your oven at 350 degrees until toasty.
3. To serve, top each hot dog with the chili and some Cheddar cheese.

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