Chicago style hot dogs and sea salt caramel corn

It all started with a recipe for popcorn soup.  What?  Popcorn in soup.  Not just a garnish on top, actually popcorn soup!  I decided I had to try it.  But what goes with such a thing?  I was thinking popcorn in the movies.  But inspiration came from popcorn at a baseball game.  Popcorn and a hot dog, make that a Chicago style hot dog and done.  While I was making popcorn anyway, I decided to revisit a favorite recipe for caramel corn and sprinkle it with sea salt.

The popcorn soup was well... a bit dull and not necessarily do again worthy.  Turns out popcorn really is best in popcorn form.  The relish on top is homemade pickled radish relish.  And that is do again worthy.  I had it on the soup and on the hot dog.  I'll bet I can find lots of uses for this stuff.  The soup itself was a fun experiment and it brought me to Chicago style hot dogs, which are exceptional.

Chicago Style Hot Dog

The recipes I found described it as a hot dog dragged through the garden.
Top your favorite hot dog with;
Mustard (but no ketchup)
Tomato wedges
Pickles
Relish (I made the radish relish- not the traditional choice)
Sport peppers (which our grocery store actually had and turned out to be little spicy peppers)
Sprinkled on top with celery salt (don't skip this, it makes for a distinctive taste)
The tradition that I skipped?  Poppyseed buns, which are no where to be found in La Crosse.

Sea Salt Caramel Corn

Start by popping 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels in 3 T of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot on a medium stove.  I have tried store bought popcorn (pre-popped), microwave popcorn, and air popped popcorn.  Nothing works as good as popcorn on the stove.  Keep it covered but vented just a little to let out the steam.  Shake occasionally and wait.  Once popped spread out on a greased rimmed cookie sheet.

To make the caramel;

Heat 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 cup light corn syrup on medium.  Stir occasionally until boiling and then constantly for 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 t vanilla and 1/4 t baking soda off heat.

Pour over the popcorn and stir.

Bake in a 250 degree oven for 45 min to an hour stirring every 15 minutes.  Each time I stirred I sprinkled with a little sea salt to taste.

The week in preview too

Sunday:  Popcorn night

Monday and Tuesday:  My chicken in the slow cooker trick!  Monday tacos and Tuesday BBQ sandwiches (with the left over radish relish).

Wednesday:  Grilled flank steak, broccoli, mashed potatoes (classic).  With a new recipe for coffee ice cream that I found.  Can't wait for that one.

Thursday:  Skillet ziti with salad and any left over ice cream.

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Toasts. If you can't have spring outside, try it in a bowl.

Maybe it is because spring is still a hope and a dream around here, I have been craving spring vegetables.  Our first CSA box isn't scheduled to arrive until June 13th, must. make. do. until. then.  The grocery store is full of asparagus, so it must be spring somewhere... sort of like 5:00 somewhere but instead of a margarita, we get asparagus.  I started thinking asparagus, then soup, then creamy asparagus soup with a parmesan toast for dunking.  It made me think of warm days and green sprouts as I watched the snow falling outside.

This soup was good, real good.  It was just creamy enough without making you feel guilty and it was just vegetable enough to make you feel healthy.  The asparagus wasn't bitter and the peas made it a little sweet.  And I have to say the parmesan toasts were awesome.  I brushed baguette slices with butter and garlic and then topped with fresh grated parmesan.  I baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  What I got was a super charged crouton, just waiting to be dipped.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

From Cooks Country

INGREDIENTS

• 2pounds asparagus, stem ends trimmed
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2small leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
•  Salt and pepper
• 3 1/2cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2cup frozen peas
• 2tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4cup heavy cream
• 1/2teaspoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. COOK TIPS Cut tips off asparagus spears and chop stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• 2. SOFTEN VEGETABLES Add remaining butter and asparagus, leeks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
• 3. SIMMER SOUP Add broth to pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas and Parmesan. Puree soup in blender in 2 batches and return to pot. Stir in cream, lemon juice, and asparagus tips, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)
  
  
  
  The week in preview
  Another crazy week for us!  For one thing I am starting this week with a Friday, totally throws me off.
  Friday:  Creamy asparagus soup, parmesan toasts, and pan seared cod with lemon aioli.
  Saturday:  Date Night for this lady!
  Sunday, Monday:  Chili with naan and I plan on enough for Monday too.
  Tuesday, Wednesday:  Pork carnitas with broccoli slaw (thank you Amy for the broccoli slaw suggestion)!  On Wednesday I'll make this into pulled pork sandwiches and sweet potato fries and that sour cream/lime dipping sauce that I love so much.