Get yer HooplaHa here!  Hi folks!  It's National Hot Dog Month, did you know?  July is a a good time for hot dogs, at the ball park or at your backyard barbecue, so start eatin'!  I like mine with just relish, in fact I relish them if ya know what I mean. Here's Amanda's hot dog memories . . . 

Besides being one of the easy and tasty grilling foods, hot dogs hold a special place in my heart, especially when it comes to my Dad.  July kicks off National Hot Dog month, and what better way to celebrate the month than to talk about why hot dogs aren’t just a delicious food for me, they’re a tradition.

Growing up, Tuesdays were hot dog and baked beans night in my Dad’s house. He, along with his four other siblings, would chow down on them for dinner.  So when he had two daughters, who would have thought that only one of us would carry on this tradition? Let’s just say that I am very much my father’s daughter.

For as long as I can remember, we’ve been chowing down on hot dogs, without ketchup, baked beans, and buns. And my friends are always surprised when I don’t go for any condiments on my hot dogs, but that’s not how I was raised to eat them and not what I like. Our go-to hot dog had been Hebrew National, but when my dad’s doctor recommended he make some changes to his already extremely health conscious diet, we went on a search.

Do you know that it’s not as easy as you would think to come by “healthier” hot dogs? Fortunately, we found some good options. We tried them individually, but ultimately decided that it would be best to have a taste test. I think we bought four different brands and picked a night when it would just be the two of us. (My mom and sister are not hot dog eaters.)

Because it was the winter time, we decided to boil the hot dogs. We got one of each, without knowing which brand was which, to eat. I couldn’t tell you which brand we ultimately decided on, but it was definitely one of the more hefty-sized dogs. And we agreed on the taste!

Even though it seemed silly that we had so much excitement build up to that evening, it was fun for the two of us. Not only did we find a better hot dog, we got to spend quality time together enjoying one of our favorite meals. Maybe it’s not the food or the event, but the fact that “hot dog night” is ours and that makes it special.