Something about summertime makes me want hot dogs. I won’t eat a hot dog all fall and all winter, but the minute it gets warm outside I buy a package at the grocery store.

If I’m at a barbecue and the hosts went all out for some delicious steak and chicken, deep down I’m disappointed I couldn’t have just a couple bites of a classic hot dog.

As perfect as that classic hot dog is smothered in ketchup, mustard and onions, there are too many amazing hot dog variations out there that have been ignored for far too long. It’s time to elevate our barbecue hot dogs so they can stand there proud with the steak and chicken!

These bruschetta hot dogs do just the trick. Hot dogs are grilled, placed in a toasted Italian bun, then topped with tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Dang-nabbit, these hot dogs are good!

The bruschetta ingredients bring freshness, acidity and complexity to the hot dog, while the crusty bun envelopes the dog with enough room to hold the flavorful topping in place.

If you’re someone who can’t imagine a hot dog without ketchup or mustard trust me when I say the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and olive oil provide no need for condiments. Elevate your barbecue hot dogs this summer and make some fancy bruschetta hot dogs!

Bruschetta Hot Dogs

 

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Yield: 4 hot dogs

Ingredients

• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 large leaves fresh basil, torn
• Salt
• 4 hot dogs, grilled
• 4 Italian buns, toasted

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, and salt to taste.
2. Place the grilled hot dogs in the toasted buns then top with the tomato mixture. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

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Recipe from July/August 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine.

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I don’t have some great tale associated with this recipe. It doesn’t come from some heartfelt childhood memory. Nor did I stumble upon it in a cookbook with excitement and rush to make it. And it’s definitely not a copycat recipe from my favorite meal at my favorite restaurant.

The story is quite simple. One day I was deciding what to have for lunch. I had leftover noodles and tuna fish so I mixed them together with some raw veggies. It was yummy so I kept making it. The end. Sometimes the best recipes are the most simple ones.

Many years ago this was my most requested dish from my friends for all our summer barbecues. This was before I ditched the boxed cake mixes and started baking these Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes of course.

I don’t make it as often now since Matt is a tunafish-hater. Do you have anyone like that in your house? I rinse the can, toss it in the enclosed trash, run the disposal and eat the evidence, yet as soon as Matt walks in the kitchen the first words out of his mouth are, “Did you make tunafish?” Insert scrunched up grossed out face here. Is he a secret detective or do all tunafish-haters have such a ridiculous tunafish radar?

Anyways, back to this delicious pasta tuna salad. The creaminess of the mayonnaise mixed with the pasta and delightful tunafish make this a perfect barbecue side dish, but the best part comes from the crunchy sweetness of the peas, bell peppers and grape tomatoes. I keep mine pretty basic, but feel free to jazz yours up with different veggies, different seasonings or even sun-dried tomato mayo.

Pasta Tuna Salad

 

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Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound tri-color short pasta, cooked al dente
• 12 ounces tunafish, drained and flaked
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise, more if desired
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 8 ounces frozen green peas, cooked and cooled
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine the pasta, tunafish, bell pepper and mayonnaise in a large mixing bowl.
2. Carefully stir in the tomatoes and peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

If serving after being refrigerated stir then add more mayonnaise if desired to renew it’s creamy texture.

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Lemon & Mocha has been all about Fourth of July the last couple weeks so why stop the trend now? I’ve never done a roundup post before, but with this delicious and patriotic holiday only one week away I decided to share Lemon & Mocha’s favorite barbecue recipes. Hopefully this post will provide some inspiration for your own holiday meal! You can view even more Fourth of July inspiration from around the web on the Lemon & Mocha’s Fourth of July Pinterest board.

Sun-dried Tomato and Smoked Paprika Deviled Eggs with Crispy Shallots. The quintessential barbecue appetizer with a tasty twist.

Grilled Pineapple Guacamole. Heat up your grill for this sweet and smokey dip.

Grilled Steak and Peach Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing. Bring some refreshing summer flavors together in this flavorful salad.

Mushroom Overload Cheddar Burgers. Lemon & Mocha’s first burger recipe is still my favorite!

Dallas Burger with Barbecue Sauce and Coleslaw. This burger is so yummy it doesn’t even need cheese.

Crispy Baked Kale Chips. The perfect healthy snack for your Fourth of July barbecue. You don’t have to feel guilty about munching on these all day!

Sun-dried Tomato Mayonnaise. This condiment needs to be on your picnic table next week!

Coleslaw. Not just a side dish; use this on top of your burgers and hotdogs.

Summer Berry Trifle. Not only does this dessert scream Fourth of July, but you won’t be able to stop eating it. Your guests won’t even know it’s low fat!

Stracciatella Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato Pie. Wow your chocolate lovers with this life changing treat.

Croissant S’mores. There couldn’t be an easier sweet that everyone will enjoy.

S’mores Fudge. Bring summer to your barbecue with this addictive make ahead dessert.

Lemon Curd Tart with Fresh Berries. Simple and fresh!

Don’t worry; I’ll have even more Fourth of July tastiness to share with you next week! Happy Friday, friends!

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Asparagus has always been one of my favorite vegetables, even when I was a picky little kid. Everyone always loves the tops, which for some reason are my least favorite part. My dad doesn’t like the stems so sometimes we swap. Just like how Matt’s favorite Starburst are the red and orange, while mine are the yellow and pink. You can’t force these things. Only fate can cause the food stars to perfectly align.

My favorite way to cook asparagus is to roast them. It is incredibly simple and I am all about ease of preparation, especially on weeknights, but more importantly roast asparagus are delicious. They are tender, yet crunchy, have a slight char, and they soak up all the flavor from the olive oil and seasonings.

You might be nodding your head and thinking, “Yeah, roast asparagus are the best! They are so tasty there’s nothing in the world that could make them taste even more awesome!” But, my friends, you need to go one step further.

Prosciutto. Salty, delicate prosciutto makes everything better. Especially when it’s blanketing a spear of roast asparagus. I’ve had prosciutto wrapped asparagus a variety of ways, but I’m really digging this crispy version. The prosciutto is wrapped on the raw asparagus before being broiled to crispy perfection.

Served warm or cold, these are right on par for your next gathering this spring. Easy to make and so tasty everyone will be fighting over vegetables. What’s better than that?

Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place an oven rack about 5-6 inches below the heating element then preheat the oven to broil.
2. Lay the asparagus on a baking sheet then toss with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Wrap each stalk of asparagus with a slice of prosciutto. Take 1 piece of prosciutto and wrap it tightly around the asparagus stalk in an upward spiral starting at the bottom of the stalk. Repeat for the rest of the asparagus.
4. Spread the wrapped asparagus out on the baking sheet so that none of them are touching each other. Broil the asparagus for 3 minutes, flip the asparagus, then broil for 3 more minutes. The prosciutto should be crisped and lightly browned.

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This post was originally published on 4/10/2014. It was updated with new photos and content on 4/19/2019.

At Thanksgiving a while back there was a baked spiral ham that was served alongside Pineapple Bread Pudding. At first I was nervous as I’ve always had bread pudding exclusively as a dessert. Two servings later I was completely hooked. Fast forward to five years later and this is hands-down still my absolute favorite dish to eat with baked ham.

Bread pudding as a side dish? Sure it sounds strange, but after one bite you will be saying, “I can’t believe I ever ate baked ham without this!” Except it will sound like, “Om nom nom nom,” because when something is this delicious you don’t have time for things like manners and not talking with your mouth full. But try to keep it classy, you don’t want grandma giving you the stink eye at the dinner table.

As a lover of sweetness, carbs and all things delicious this Pineapple Bread Pudding is right up my alley. I chose to use challah bread because there is a richness and subtle sweetness about challah bread that is a result of its higher egg and butter content, which stands up perfectly with the pineapple. My favorite part about making this recipe is that there’s only five ingredients. Five! It can’t get more simple or easy to make than that.

I am at a loss as to how else to describe this amazing dish because just thinking about this pineapple bread pudding is making my head cloudy with desire. So let’s just get right to it.

I could eat this Pineapple Bread Pudding every night of the week. I can’t think of anything I would rather eat with baked ham. I think it also might be good as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Go make this now.

Pineapple Bread Pudding

 

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Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• ½ loaf challah bread, about 5 thick slices
• 4 large eggs
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ¾ cup sugar

Directions

1. Cube the challah bread into 1” pieces. You should have enough pieces to fill a 9” x 9” baking dish. Place the bread in a large bowl and let sit uncovered for at least an hour. You want the bread to get a little stale so that it stays firm when you add the liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then combine with the can of crushed pineapple, melted butter and sugar. Once combined carefully mix in the bread cubes until coated. Spoon the entire contents of the bowl into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.

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