Corn Dogs for Party Time

It seems almost unbelievable that the holidays are over already.  After all the shopping, the eating (and cooking), the party-hosting, the quality friend and family time, and the longest vacation we have had together since Z was freelance only in 2010, we are back to work.

So we’ll call this a tribute to the holidays past, even though it’s just a really late post — and write a bit today about some corn dogs we made at our holiday party this past December.

The recipe is as easy as it is unhealthy, but if there was any time to indulge off the diet it is the month of December — otherwise, what resolutions would we have to make?  So check these out, and keep them in mind for when you’re feeling like a break from recent resolutions.

Corn Dogs

(Barely adapted, we have changed the proportions, because we always have way too much leftover batter)

20 6″ hot dogs

Or

20 6″ tofu dogs (some meat-eaters said they couldn’t taste the difference!)

½ cup fine corn meal

½ cup flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 heaping tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp scallions

½ cup milk (just shy of that amount, actually)

1 large egg

 

Chop the scallions and set aside.  Put the dry ingredients (corn flour, flour, sugar, backing powder, salt and pepper) into a bowl and mix.

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Beat an egg in a separate bowl and then mix into the dry ingredients.  Add the milk and then add the scallions.  Let the batter sit for 20 minutes.

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We made our corn dogs mini by cutting the dogs in half although you clearly don’t have to do that.  Whatever size you choose, skewer the dogs and set aside.

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Once the batter has sat for 20 minutes, heat up about ½ inch of oil in a pan (we have been using Canola oil).  Get the oil to shimmering, but not hotter than that.  We ruined a batch because the oil got too hot.

When the oil is ready, coat the dog in the batter and place into the oil.  We found that turning it almost immediately (rather than letting it sit) helped maintain a more even shape (i.e. all the batter didn’t sink to one side).  It will puff up all on its own.

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Remove from the oil and serve with ketchup, mustard or our own homemade BBQ sauce (below)!  We had some great photo opps for these, but the plates were emptied pretty quickly, each time before we remembered to take another picture!

 

Homemade (Vegetarian) BBQ Sauce 

¼ cup ketchup

½ tsp balsamic

½ tsp hot sauce

½ tsp maple syrup

¾ tsp honey mustard

¾ tsp cumin

½ tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp Frenchs mustard

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ salt

1/8 tsp wine vinegar

1/8 tsp chili powder

Mix it all together and serve!  It is SO good, very different from the Amazing Barbeque Sauce we told you about before, but delicious still.  Even though this recipe is too late for holiday parties, we hope (and think) you and your guests will enjoy this any time of the year.