don't be a hater: bannock-wrapped hot dogs

I like hot dogs. Judge me if you will. The other day we needed a quick lunch and we had some hot dogs but no buns, so I decided to improvise. Last year I had made bannock (which is a traditional native quick bread) and went with a modified version that would work to wrap the hot dogs like the old school Pillsbury dough wraps of my youth. I had my doubts, but it worked wonderfully! It would be a great recipe to make with kids, as it's simple and they can get their hands dirty.

The dough was light and flaky like a biscuit and I had hidden in some cheese inside so we were greeted with melty cheesy goodness nestled around the hot dog. Mmmmm! I divided the dough into 4 but I think it could be streched a bit to cover 5 or even 6 if you pat the dough thin, as the dough did puff up during baking and eating just one was enough for a meal. It definitely made for a filling, super delicious and unusual lunch.

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bannock-wrapped hot dogs
3 c flour
1 1/2 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 c butter or vegan margarine
1 1/4 c water, milk or soy milk
slices of cheese (optional)
4 hot dogs (vegan or meaty)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt together, whisking well so it's all blended. Add the butter and crumble it together with your hands until it resembles tiny peas or crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the milk or water and use a fork or a wooden spoon to blend it gently until it forms into a lump of dough.

Meanwhile, boil up the hotdogs and when they're hot, remove from water and set aside. Divide the dough into four lumps and shape into a hotdog sized shape. Flatten the dough until it's large enough to roll up a hot dog, place a slice of cheese on the dough and then roll up the hotdog in the dough. Pinch the ends so the hot dog is encased and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat for all the following hot dogs and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, flip the dogs and bake for another 5-10 minutes until slightly golden. Serve with your favorite condiments.

quick bread

My husband isn't known for his cooking skills. In fact, he barely cooks at all. He can make toast, and eggs and can boil up some hot dogs, but really, that's about it. Oh, once he made me a birthday cake that was perfection but that was out of the ordinary. Sure, he knows he needs nourishment to survive but he could probably go all day without eating if he was distracted enough with work. Clearly, we're different breeds.

So I was quite surprised when the other afternoon when I suggested he make some bannock flat bread that a friend had just given us a recipe for. He didn't hesitate, he just went into the kitchen and did it. He did ask where the flour was kept and if we had any flax seeds, but he went at it like a pro. Like all bannock, this recipe is simple. I remember making bannock in our grade two class and happily eating the results with honey. But this recipe is probably the best I've tried. It's baked rather than fried and it's versatile enough that you can make it sweet or savory. Our friend, Ryan, brought it to our picnic last weekend and he made a double batch so the results were extra thick and delicious. Cornelius made it as a single batch and it was about half an inch thick in the centre and thinner and crispier around the edges. It was amazing and buttery and delicious. Bonus points for being vegan too!

Want a sweet bannock? Add raisins or chopped strawberries and then sprinkle the top with sugar before baking. Want it savory? Add fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, or caramelized onions. Don't have vegan margarine or almond milk? Use what you've got!

bannock
2 c flour
4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
4 T vegan margarine, melted
1 c almond milk
1 c water
2 T chives, chopped
2 T flax seeds

In a large bowl, mix together everything from the flour to the chives. Pour mixture onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with flax seeds. Bake in oven at 450°F for 20 minutes. Cut right away into squares.