I'm not sure how it happened so fast, but I have a preschool graduate. Going through the motions on the last day of school was surprisingly emotional for me because I had it in my head that this stage would go on for a long time. I mean, 2 years is a pretty long time I suppose. But it went too fast. Suddenly I'm looking at my 5 year old and wondering what happened to the little toddler with the chubby cheeks and little baby giggle. It sounds cliché, but I feel like I blinked and here we are. My tall, lanky, full of questions first-born is not a baby. He's not a toddler. He's ready to go on to the next great thing to become even cooler than he already is. I hope he loves science and books and music even more than he does right this second. I kind of hope his favorite food is still hot dogs for a while longer, because it's kind of adorable. And I hope he continues to love school as much as he does right now.
I guess for now, we have summer days to look forward to. The lazy kind and the busy kind, because with kids you have to have both. At the very least, I'm hoping Memorial Day weekend provides us all with a little down time to process the school year and spend some time appreciating summer vacation. I think a good place to start is by eating some hot dogs. The 5 year old agrees! Although these are a little more for the grown ups out there.
When we lived in Japan, I taught a 6th grade ESL class. One of the lessons we did was a show-and-tell of sorts, where the students would come to class with a how-to presentation to share. One of my students MADE KIMCHI. I was in absolute awe, especially since it was our first year in Tokyo and I had little to no idea about Asian food at all, let alone the process of making kimchi. He obviously had to simplify the process for his presentation, you know, because of the fermenting in the ground part, but we got the idea. Needless to say, I have been fascinated and obsessed with kimchi since that moment. It became more familiar and meaningful to me then, which is what I love about so many of my favorite foods.
So, for these tasty hot dogs, I topped them with some funky, spicy kimchi and some ooey, gooey melted cheddar cheese to create a fun twist on a summer favorite. This would also be a fantastic addition to your DIY Hot Dog Bar! And before you say anything, YES, cheese with kimchi is a thing. See here, here, and here.
And of course, if the kiddos are not into spicy things, you can make some plain hot dogs and top them with their favorite toppings while the adults enjoy this version washed down with a tasty unfiltered wheat beer. Deal? DEAL.
Cheesy Kimchi Hot Dogs
Makes 4 hot dogs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
*time may vary depending on how you decide to cook your hot dogs
- 4 natural, all beef hot dogs (I like Applegate)
- 4 brioche hot dog buns
- 1/2 cup kimchi
- 1/2 cup Tillmook Farmstyle Shredded Cheese (because it is the best at melting into gooey deliciousness)
- sriracha for drizzling
- Thai or regular basil and/or cilantro for garnish (and because it looks prettttyyyy)
- Cook your hot dogs on the grill or under the broiler until hot all the way through. Place them in your hot dog buns, then place them on a baking sheet. Preheat your broiler to high if it isn't already started.
- Top the hot dogs with the kimchi and sprinkle with the cheese. Place under the broiler, watching carefully, until the cheese has melted. Take care not to burn your buns! (Insert inappropriate jokes *here*)
- Drizzle the hot dogs with sriracha and sprinkle with basil and/or cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
