Besides ice cream, there are few foods that scream “summer” more than hot dogs, right? So on this summer weather weekend, we wanted to share this adorable hot dog bar from one of our favorite food bloggers, Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats. Mom to Max, 4 and Emilia, 18 months, she’s also the author of two gorgeous cookbooks, Seriously Delish (2014) and Pretty Dish (2018), and is hard at work on her next book, Everyday Dinners (out in 2021).
Jessica is known for her comfort food with a twist (what she calls “trashed up”), but this time, she’s sticking to the basics. “All the salads with fruit—I love a spring greens salad with berries and goat cheese!—and tons of vegetables on the grill. We get fantastic sweet corn and tomatoes here in PA come July. They are unbeatable! I think almost every dinner I make in mid-late summer consists of those.”
We’ll be making this hot dog bar that’s, fun, easy and guaranteed to please adults and kids. Jessica includes all the classic—like a Chicago Dog and Carmelized Onion and Cheese Dog—as well as unexpected ones. We’ve definitely never had a Hawaiian Dog or Mexican Street Food Dog, but we’re pretty sure they’re going to be fast favorites. Jessica says her kids love making their own creations as much as she did. “I find that when my kids can help or choose their own toppings, they enjoy their food more and are more inclined to try new foods. It sparks creativity!”
For the instructions for this hot dog bar, visit How Sweet Eats.
Originally published on The Local Mom’s Network
Meet a Mom: Actress Brooklyn Decker!
Actress Brooklyn Decker became a household name by dominating the pages of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues as a model, starting in 2006 and landing the coveted cover in 2010. She’s also a devoted, hands-on mom to two, a boy named Hank (4) and a girl named Stevie (2).
Easy Peanut Butter Football Dip!
This easy, no-bake dessert dip from Lynn Lilly, the talented mama behind the Craft Box Girls blog uses basic pantry ingredients like peanut butter, chocolate chips and pretzels. We’ll be making it for the Super Bowl and then again for Valentine’s Day—simply swapping the football shape for a heart one!
Superbowl: 4 Craft Ideas to Try!
Whether your kids are into football or not, having something to keep them occupied during the big game can be clutch. All the adults will then be able to enjoy the action on the field (not to mention the commercials and half time show!). We rounded up 4 of our favorite crafts from around the blogosphere, perfect for game time or any time you need something to do (which, for most of us, is all the time). Pro tip: for toddlers, use plastic cups instead of mason jars, for obvious reasons.