Perking up the plain hot dog

Hot dogs are an American classic from coast to coast! Next to fried chicken, the hot dog is about as American as can be. Of course, we usually enjoy them most often in the summer by barbecuing them on the grill. While it's cold outside, let's bring the flavor of summer indoors with this recipe I'm sharing, "Barbecued Franks-In-A-Bun".

This recipe takes the plain hot dog and flavors it up with a sweet-and-sour barbecue sauce. This is a great recipe for those days that you're running late getting lunch or dinner ready, because it goes together very quickly, with these being ready in less than thirty minutes. Serve these along with your favorite toppings for hot dogs, along with chips or French fried potatoes, a beverage and a good dessert, and your meal is complete.

The sauce that makes these hot dogs special uses ingredients that you may already have on hand: tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, mustard and molasses. Some leaf basil is added to give some additional flavor. This recipe makes 12 sandwiches, which will serve six if each person is served two sandwiches. Or, it will serve four if everyone is really, really hungry!

This also is a great recipe for a young cook to make, with some supervision. Children enjoy hot dogs tremendously and this would be easy enough for a young cook to do. This would also be a good time to go over how to use the range and the safety rules involved.

Something that always goes well with hot dogs is slaw. I shared a slaw recipe last summer called "Forever Slaw", which keeps under refrigeration for about six weeks. Here's the link to it if you didn't get it earlier:

http://www.examiner.com/article/a-slaw-that-s-everlasting

When it's cold outdoors, bring the flavors of summer inside with this easy-to-do way to dress up hot dogs!

BARBECUED FRANKS-IN-A-BUN

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled leaf basil
• 12 hot dogs (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
• 12 hot dog buns, split (may be buttered and toasted, if desired)

In a large skillet, saute onion in the butter or oil until soft. Stir in tomato sauce, molasses, vinegar, mustard, salt and basil. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Arrange hot dogs in the sauce, cover, and simmer ten minutes until puffed and hot. Place franks in buns and spoon sauce over them. Serve along with your favorite hot dog toppings.