September 2015, this Grandma wrote a post, “Hot Dogs Do Deserve Their Own National Day of Celebration.” It seems that hot dogs have graduated from having a day, July 23 as National Hot Dog Day, to now having a whole month! The month of July is National Hot Dog Month.
In Oprah Magazine, July 2016, she reports that an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be eaten on July Fourth alone. It seems that our grandchildren can live on hot dogs, if we would let them.
Oprah, of course, recommends a new contraption, a holder for grilling hot dogs, from Mr. Bar-B-Q, that allows you to grill four hot dogs at a time, found at Amazon.
Just back from visiting grandchildren at the beginning of this summer, hot dogs were the staple for barbeques and picnics and the grandchildren did seem to live on them for lunch and dinner. We all rationalized this by saying it was the last hurrah before they left for sleep away camp.
Then, this Grandma realized that hot dogs might be all they ate at camp. However, the mother of our grandchildren told us that she must give explicit permission for them to eat hot dogs at their camps. Of course, the grandchildren begged that she do so. I must remind her that she said she would.
I asked the grandchildren if they had ever had aTexas Tommy. They had not. I was surprised to see that Texas Tommys are described on Wikipedia, which also gives their history!
“The Texas Tommy is an American hot dog dish in which a hot dog is prepared with bacon and cheese. It was invented in Pottstown, Pennsylvania in the 1950s. It may be cooked by various methods, such as grilling and deep frying, and some variations exist. The Texas Tommy is a common dish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, and it is a menu item at various restaurants and hot dog restaurants in the United States.”
“The Texas Tommy has been served at baseball games at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and in 2012, the dish was listed on the Serious Eats list of The Craziest Major League Baseball Hot Dogs of 2012. The version served at Citizens Bank Park included the addition of chili.”
These were the rage in my young adulthood and the first time I experienced a Texas Tommy was in Pennsylvania. Who knew they have nothing to do with Texas. So now, you too can introduce your grandchildren to a variety of their favorite food that is a regional invention. Have them look at a map and locate Pennsylvania and Pottstown.
If you are brave enough to stand up to the parents of your grandchildren to, here is the original recipe:
Texas Tommys
Ingredients
8 hot dogs
4 slices American cheese
8 slices bacon, softened (partially cooked)
8 hot dog buns, split
Directions
Heat grill or preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut lengthwise slit in each hot dog, cutting almost but not quite to other side. Separate further with fingers so opening can hold the cheese.
Break cheese slice in half, and then fold each in half, and insert cheese in hot dog slit
Wrap each hot dog around and around with slice of bacon.
Place hot dogs on grill over medium heat or oven.
Cook about 10 minutes, if on grill turning often, until bacon is cooked.
Toast buns.
Place hot dogs in toasted buns and serve.
Yes, this Grandma has come up with a healthier version.
HEALTHIER Texas Tommys
Instead of regular hot dogs, use kosher hot dogs or organic hot dogs.
Instead of American cheese, use low fat mozzarella string cheese sticks. A whole stick will fit into the slit and melt beautifully.
Instead of regular bacon, use softened (partially cooked) nitrite free organic bacon.
This is about as healthy as one can make Texas Tommys. But, as a grandma, who cares, so try both varieties. Giving grandchildren what they crave and spoiling them is grandma
Joy,
Mema
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