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On the drive back from Chicago last week I spent a good amount of time thinking about what I was going to write this week. It feels like the first official week where my newsletter is no longer a “stuck at home cooking pandemic project” and more of a “real life is happening let me write about it” newsletter. Last week I was so excited for Chicago that I spent four days just packing, planning, and procrastinating. I whipped through some more Indian-ish recipes (recap and recipes coming to you next Sunday), I sent out my Honey Grilled Chicken recipe on Wednesday, made a tutorial for Instagram, and that’s all I could get done.
Chicago didn’t have a mask mandate while we were in town and as with any big city, there were people everywhere. Lots and lots of people. During the few hours we had free on Saturday we walked to the bean, grabbed a coffee at Intelligentsia, and went to the Museum of Contemporary Art. I wore my mask the whole time because I was anxious! Plus, I like that people can’t really see me. Sunglasses and a mask and you are fully unrecognizable. Not that I would have seen anyone I know in Chicago but I enjoy the protection of the mask in more ways than I originally thought.
The wedding we attended was originally scheduled for March 2020, then it was rescheduled for October 2020, and it got pushed back a second time to this month. When it was confirmed that this third date would in fact happen, we were told that everyone attending must be vaccinated. As a vaccinated (and anxious) person this was great news for me. I went maskless at the events and was able to relax for a few hours without thoughts of getting covid creeping into my head. I saw friends I hadn’t seen in ages. We ate, danced, and cheered to friends that we loved. It was magical. Oh and I put on real clothes, did my hair and make-up, and wore heels!! It’s amazing how getting dressed up can change how you feel about yourself completely. I think most of us haven’t had a reason to dress up in a long time now. When Marco put on his suit last month for a Zoom interview, I was truly surprised by how good he looked. I had forgotten how nice he looks in a shirt with a collar and buttons. My feet ached after a few hours and my posture was straighter than ever and I loved it all.
I was tested this week (because breakout cases are a real thing) and now I am in Mexico. A trip that was planned pre delta variant. So I’m still a little anxious and wearing a mask but happy to be in Mexico with some girlfriends. Wearing a mask on the beach in Mexico is better than wearing a mask in Missouri.
Can we talk about hot dogs for a second? Who knew they were so good!? My grandma has been into hot dogs recently and I had one at her house back in June. Then I developed a deep craving for a crispy charred hot dog. A real one, not a fake turkey or chicken one that is Marco friendly. An all beef hot dog!
I was grabbing bacon at the grocery store and directly next to the bacon I spotted Niman Ranch Jumbo Beef Fearless Franks. I reach for Niman Ranch with other meat products and figured the hot dogs would be fine. I definitely didn’t need jumbo but they had a nostalgic element to them and reminded me of the big Hoffy hot dogs we had growing up.
I raced home with that “I should have eaten before I went to the grocery store and now I’m so hungry I could eat my arm” hunger. Too hungry to fire up the Egg, I used the gas grill for the first time all summer. Nestled in a toasted brioche bun and topped with yellow mustard, relish, and sour kraut…holy shit this hot dog was good!
Why haven’t I eaten more hot dogs in the last few years? As a sandwich lover, it falls into the category of things between bread and I love all things between bread. The other two hot dogs have been eaten as last-minute (delicious) meals when I didn’t have time to cook anything else. Each time they have tasted just as good as the last and brought me so much joy.
I found kobe beef hot dogs at the store and tested one this week. Not that I wasn’t happy with the Niman Ranch ones but I had to give them a try. Out of this world good. Really soft and buttery with a clean beef taste. With the last few weeks of summer upon us, please make sure you eat a hot dog!
*Marco has been eating turkey dogs and they really are not that bad.
This week was the third and final week of my Easy Summer Grilling series in The Kitchen Club. Our last recipe is Grilled Corn Pasta Salad! You can watch it down in my Instagram story highlight and **I made the recipe available to the public on my Substack.** Go get it and make some pasta salad!!
For the month of August, you’ll see lots of grilling articles and recipes in The Weekly Recap newsletter too. If you want more of my recipes, join us in The Kitchen Club! You’ll get a new one every Wednesday.
Stuff to Read
Do Grill Pans Actually Mimic Grilling? (Spoiler: they do not)
Recipe Inspo
Watch This
Remember Alex? He has an awesome Grilled Corn Salad recipe.
Places I ate
We only had time for one meal in Chicago and since we are very deprived in KC we were both craving sushi. Sushi San was one block away from our hotel and we went in on a bunch of rolls. Very solid sushi. Special? No, but very good. They are part of the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group which owns over 45 restaurants in the Chicago area. They also own Beatrix where the rehearsal dinner was Friday night.
Thing Everybody Needs
This is a spider strainer. I used it this week in my Instagram story when I made pasta salad. I dunked it in my pot of boiling water to remove the noodles and drain all the excess water before laying them on a tray to cool. You need one!
Animal Cuteness
A hot dog in Chicago.
See you ned week for a recap of Indian-ish plus all the recipes I have made from the book. I’ll be taking in the last bits of summer next week now that I have officially seen the pumpkin decor come out in stores 😢.
Xx, M.