Chicago Style Mini Dogs
1 package puff pastry sheets
12 oz mini all beef hot dogs
12 oz sport peppers, drained and patted dry with paper towels**
Everthing but bagel seasoning for sprinkling
1 egg

Sauce:
¼ cup dijon mustard
3 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp dill or sweet relish

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
Whisk egg for egg wash. Set aside. Cut puff pastry into 12 squares.
Place a hot dog and a sport pepper at the base of dough. Roll up tightly.
Place on the prepared sheet tray seam side down. Repeat with all the dough.
Egg wash the pastry of each and sprinkle with seasoning.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. The sport pepper can pop out a little from the pastry as it bakes, just pop them back in place right when they come out of the oven.
Mix everything for the sauce together in a small bowl until combined.
Serve hotdogs warm from the oven with the dipping sauce on the side.

Corn Caprese Salad
4 ears of corn
1pint small tomatoes (cherry) cut in half
Bocconcini mozzarella balls
Fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
11/2 Tbls. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper, I like to add ingredients to a jar and shake. Cook corn in boiling water or grill. Using a serrated knife cut corn off the cob, mix with mozzarella balls and tomatoes, add basil and toss with vinaigrette.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers
1-pound large shrimp peeled and deveined (you can either leave tails on or remove them)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. paprika
1 Tbls. Italian flat leaf parsley; minced
Wood skewers soaked in water for several hours to prevent burning
In a large measuring cup whisk above ingredients. In a large bowl add shrimp and about ¾ of the marinade, reserve remaining marinade for after grilling. Toss to coat evenly with the marinade.
Marinate for at least 15 minutes. You don’t want to marinate for longer than that, as the acid in the lemon juice will start to cook the shrimp.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Skewer 3 shrimp per stick.
Place the shrimp on the grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. You can slightly undercook if you want to finish cooking them in the oven to serve later, about 5 minutes at 400 degrees. I prefer to serve this cold or room temperature. Once cooked toss with reserved marinade and skewer shrimp to serve cold or room temperature or heat in the oven for later. Serve with lemon garlic aioli sauce. Serves 4.
Lemon Garlic Aioli:
1/3 cup mayo
1 clove minced garlic
½ Tbls. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Sesame Skirt Steak Skewers
Marinade:
1 1/2 -2 lb. skirt steak; trimmed of fat and silverskin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
1 Tbls. rice wine vinegar (optional)
2 Tbls. honey
2 Tbls. sesame oil
marinade at least 6-8 hours or overnight, grill meat to medium doneness. Cut steak across the grain into slices and skewer. Grill a couple minutes on each side. Serve with peanut sauce, I used Trader Joe’s Thai Style peanut dressing.

Festive Hand Pies
4 cups (2 pints) blueberries (same quantities raspberries but omit cinnamon)
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbls. cornstarch
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbls.cold butter, cut in small pieces
Egg wash
Fold 1 dough round in half and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold & ease into pan without stretching it and pat firmly into pan.
Place berries in a large bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice & toss to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, salt & cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the berries & toss to distribute evenly. Immediately transfer to the dough lined pan. Dot with butter. Place on top layer of dough. Trim, fold & crimp the edges. Vent the top. Refrigerate the pie until the dough is firm, 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375*. Bake the pie until the crust is golden & the filling is thick & bubbling, 50-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack & let cool completely to set. Serve at room or rewarm in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes just before serving.
Butter And Lard Pie Crust
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1½ teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¾ cup (6 ozs. or 1½ stick) Unsalted Butter , chilled and cubed
¾ cup (6 ozs.) Lard, chilled and cubed
4-5 Tbs. (~1/3 c.) Iced Water