Chicago Dog Salad

Here's another favorite meal in our house: Chicago Dog Salad. All of my boys inherited their mother's love of vinegary foods in utero (remind me, Sam, was it Cole that used to eat mustard with a spoon?). Justin's the only one around here who's not wild about vinegar, but even he loves this meal, because of all the crunchy veggies, and the hot dogs!

This is a Rachel Ray recipe we discovered a few years ago. It begins to pop up on my weekly menus every spring right around daylight savings time. There's just something about long evening shadows that pairs beautifully with seared hot dogs and tangy slaw!

(Big D--I can see you shaking your head--only your daughter would find a salad recipe that uses yellow mustard as its dressing...)

Here it is!

Chicago Dog Salad

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2T cider vinegar

1 rounded teaspoon sugar

4T vegetable oil

a few thin slices of red onion

16 ounces shredded cabbage

1 heart of romaine, shredded

2 tomatoes, diced

3 large garlic pickles, chopped

salt and pepper

8 hot dogs (we like Hebrews National), cut into 1" slices on an angle

Mix mustard, vinegar, sugar and 3T of the oil in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add onion, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes and pickles and toss well, until salad is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1T oil, turn to coat pan, then arrange dogs in a single layer. Sear them for a couple of minutes on each side.

Mound the salad on plates, top with the seared dogs and serve.