Hot Dog Party

We went to a family reunion/vacation.  There were...fifty or so of us there, and our family was in charge of one meal.  We had Sunday lunch, so we couldn't have it be a really big meal.  Too bad, because we have a tradition of Sunday tacos, and we love to share it.  Tacos are the best Sunday food, don't you think?  Easy, fast, enough jobs for everyone to grab one and pitch in.  Besides, it's easy to stretch if we happen to have company, and you can't complain about your taco since you made it.  We just always have the stuff handy to whip up a batch of tacos.  But, no tacos.

Lunch is a smaller meal, but we wanted to make it fun.  Enter the hot dog party.  We found a bunch of "recipes" for different hot dogs on the internet somewhere that I can't for the life of me find now so I can't give proper credit.  Sorry.

I whipped up some menus on the computer and printed them out on cardstock.  I gave them a "hamburger fold" so they would stand up straight, and just set them at the back of the tables.

I also made labels and slapped them on all the condiments.  On the condiments without a bottle, we cut out the tag, gave it a "tent fold," and placed it in front of the food.

It was windy so we taped all the menus and labels either on to the bottles or onto the tables.  I think the colorful print made for half the fun right there.  And then we stepped back and let everyone have fun creating.  We heard lots of "try the East Coast!  It's the best!"  And "West Coast all the way, but add cheese."  Everyone left happy.  Score.

Grandma gave this a ten thumbs up.  It was a hit with everyone there.  I took pictures of everyone in their hot dog bliss, because I figured out how to use my new camera.  Unfortunately, I don't know how to get them off the camera yet.


Hot Dog Bar For 50

160 hot dog buns
160 hot dogs (half grilled, half steamed.  To steam hot dogs, insert the dogs, standing up on end in a large craokpot and cook on low for 3-4 hours to get that 7-11 taste)

4 onions, diced
6 tomatoes, diced
coleslaw (about 3 heads of cabbage worth)
90 slices cheese

large bottle ketchup
large bottle mustard
large bottle sweet relish (got these three  - 32 oz each - in a picnic package at Costco)
medium bottle spicy mustard
small bottle (5 ounce) chili sauce or hot sauce

small jar sliced, pickled jalapenos
small jar salsa
small jar guacamole (unless your tastes run like mine - love it! - then get more)
large jar (over 100 ounces) whole pickles, sliced into spears (used almost all of it)

3 large cans baked beans
2 - 15 ounce cans sauerkraut (and we had lots left over)


And, just in case you want to give this one a try, I figured out how to share the pdf file.  (is it working?)  I took out our family name, so all you have to do is print, write in your family name, cut them out, and get ready for a hot-diggety-dog good time!