Corn Dogs

Hey.  Hi there.  I have food for you.

But here’s my problem:  writer’s block.  Yuck, gross, hate it.

But this food speaks for itself, so that’s good for me, I suppose.

This is easy peasy, kind of eclectic sort of American-ish food for almost the Fourth of July.  Did that confuse you?  Not quite?  How about this:  Corn dogs on chopsticks with italian-style chunky home-made ketchup.  Yum.  Here’s the recipe:

CHUNKY ITALIAN KETCHUP

• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. agave
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 of a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

Saute up your onion and olive oil in a sauce pan until the onions are translucent and you can smell the yummy coming out of them.   Then, add the garlic and saute for about another 30 seconds or so.  Then, add in all the rest of your ingredients and bring ’em up to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes, until it’s thickened down to ketchup-y consistency.  You could puree it if you want a smooth ketchup, but I liked having some texture in mine.

CORN DOGS (adapted from this recipe)

• 3 or 4 Tofurky italian style sausages (or whatever kind you like)
• 2/3 c. cornmeal
• 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dried basil, garlic powder, and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer
• 2/3 c. non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp. agave

Preheat your oven to 450°F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper so you’re ready to go when your dogs are ready.  Mix your cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, spices, egg replacer, agave, and 1/3 c. of your milk in a bowl.  Slowly add in the other half of your milk until your mixture is wet enough to work with, but not so drizzly it won’t stick to the Tofurky.  I used chopsticks to skewer my sausages, because I don’t have skewers on hand right now.  (Also, be sure you let whatever sticks you’re using sit in water for a while before you skewer the sausages so they don’t burn in the oven and set your house on fire.)  Roll or dip the sausages into the coating, making sure they’re all nicely covered.  Once you’re dogs are dipped, place them on your pan and bake for about 10 – 15 minutes.  Enjoy with your home-made ketchup.