What To Do With Hot Dogs and Hot Dog Buns Leftover From Camping

Rob did the shopping for the Thanksgiving Weekend Camp Trip to California City. He always buys loads of hot dogs in many varieties and loads of Hot dog buns. We always come home with lots of hot dogs and lots of buns. So, below is a list of uses for such leftovers.

Uses for Hot Dogs

1. Chop hot dogs and make hot dog soup
2. Slice hot dogs and use in place of pepperoni on a pizza (Thanks, Mom!)
3. Fry sliced hot dogs or hot links and use as an appetizer served on a tray with mustard
4. Freeze them, for later use.
5. Using chopped hot dogs and hot dog buns make dressing! (Recipe to follow)

Uses for Hot Dog Buns

1. Make garlic cheese buns!
2. Use instead or hamburger buns for sloppy joes!
3. Use as the bread in bread pudding!
4. Chop and use to make croutons!
5. Use along with chopped hot dogs and make dressing!

Mint Fudge

Starbucks has their Peppermint Mocha. Baskin Robbins has Mint 'n Chip Ice Cream. I have my Mint Chip Fudge.

Mint Chip Fudge

1 7 Oz. Jar Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp Vanilla
12 oz bag Guittard Green Mint Chips

Put these ingrediants in a large mixing bowl.

One stick butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 Oz. Lowfat 2% Evaporated milk

Mini Chocolate chips (frozen)

In a large saucepan, combine 1 tsp butter, sugar and E. milk. Set remaining butter aside. Bring to a boil on medium heat until candy thermometer reads 233 degrees F. Stir continuously. Once the thermometer reads 233 degrees F, add the remaining butter and stir. Bring the mixture back to a boil and stir continuously. Once bubbled up, take off heat and carefully pour mixture into your large bowl of marshmallow, chips and vanilla. Stir until all chips are melted and the mixture becomes a lovely light shade of mint green.

Pour into a lightly greased 8 x 8 square pan. Level fudge out with a spoon and let sit for a minute or two. Sprinkle frozen chocolate chips on top of fudge. Using the palm of your hand, lightly press the mini chips into the top surface of the fudge. So the mini chocolate chips don't melt put fudge in the freezer for about ten minutes. Remove from freezer and set on counter and allow fudge to set. Once cooled, cut and put in bags for gifting.

Pecan or Walnut Bars

Any time is a good time for sweets! I am not so much the fan of walnuts, but as an adult I have acquired the taste for Pecans. Add them to cookies, Great. Make a crust out of them for cheesecake, Delish!

For these bars you can use Pecans or Walnuts. Both would be tasty in these bars. You could even do both!

Pecan Or Walnut Bars

For the Crust

2 cups flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp salt
a couple shakes cinnamon
2/3 cup salted butter

For the Pecan or Walnut Part

3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbs. melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, white thingies removed
2 cups pecan or walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the crust ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat the crust into a greased 13x9" pan or into smaller pans or greased mini muffin tins. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. While the crust is baking mix sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs. Once well combined, fold in the nuts. Pour over warm crust and bake for 30 minutes.