Really Easy Franks in Blankets is a very simple-to-make, 2-ingredient dish (not including optional egg wash or sesame seed topping). Delicious as a snack or appetizer any time!
You may know the name by Franks in Blankets, but by some other names are used as well, such as Pigs in a Blanket (a hotdog wrapped in dough, but sometimes with bacon) and wiener winks (although bread is used as the wrap, not dough).
There seems to be a bit of a disagreement regarding where the idea first originated. Here is one interesting story of origin: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/pigs-in-a-blanket-origin-story.
The hotdog, on the other hand, is believed to have originated from the German frankfurter.
Really Easy Franks in Blankets (or hotdog puffs) are a perfect fill when you want a snack or when your dinner isn’t quite ready for your guests.
On Thanksgiving, for example, just set out a plate of Really Easy Franks in Blankets and it will curb hunger until that turkey is ready and dinner is served.
Also, great for parties or get-togethers or snacks while watching a show or game.
Once you make them, they may just become your go-to anytime!
Want to make them dairy free? Use dough without milk. Simple as that!
A little of my cooking background
I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can”, because – honestly – if I can make it, anyone can.
I never really liked cooking and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.
When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.
Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.
Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?
It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served or you won’t eat” ideology) and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.
I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it and they will love your cooking!
As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! you are an amazing cook!
The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. It’s not difficult to impress – just make sure it tastes good.
While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true easy-shmeezy!
Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different quality of pots, etc. – all of which can affect your cooking and baking.
Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!
Of course, with Easy Kosher Franks in Blankets, you don’t even need to know how to cook! Just wrap the hotdogs in the dough, pop in the oven, and you are good to go!
Everyday pantry essentials (suggested)
As I learned to prepare more and more recipes, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.
While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or lasagna at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.
So, I maintain selection of what I consider “pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves at all times.
Initially, many of the herbs and spices were useful to me only on occasion (having been purchased for a particular recipe) and I usually just had them around as leftovers. However, as I began to cook more of a variety, I was really glad to have them (hey, look, I already have that !) and that is how my list began.
While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes be made just with this list. So, if you keep whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.
Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style.
Just to give you an idea, the list below is a comprehensive list of what I normally keep on hand (this does not necessarily include what I keep for baking and there may be some overlap between the two lists as some items are used for both, such a brown sugar) and, of course, it reflects the meals and desserts that I like to make for my own family and guests.
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt (my receipes use regular table salt)
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
- onion powder
- sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
- hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
- ground turmeric
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground Cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consomme powder / beef bullion powder (regular or vegetarian)
- onion soup mix
- onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion – 3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- coconut cream as a dairy free cream substitute
- corn starch as a thickening agent
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- bread crumbs or Corn Flake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
- condiments – such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes – diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- soy sauce
- ready made pie crusts and dough (to just add filling)
We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, rice, and potatoes on our shelves as well as pasta.
In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (red, green, etc), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick, but delicious meal.
It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts), in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.
Weather can have an affect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, so I keep as many of the seasonings in the refrigerator or freezer as I can and I keep everything tightly closed in containers (you will be surprised to know just how determined moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!).
Therefore, store your items well.
Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?
Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly enough to warrant storing them. However, I do not store items for dishes that I make seasonally or only on rare occasions or those that spoil easily.
Whether or not it is workable for you depends on your cooking style, the space you have to store, and whether or not you mind running out to the store as needed. Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use, and the more you will need.
Like hotdogs? Try: Easy Dairy Free Corn Dogs or Easiest Kosher Franks and Beans !
Really Easy Franks in Blankets
Delicious kosher hotdogs wrapped in dairy free pastry dough.
Ingredients
- 10 kosher hotdogs (unusually, one standard package) *
- puff pastry dough, kosher and dairy free (approximately 30 inches in length) *
- 1 egg (for coating, if desired)
- plain sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Cut hotdogs into 3 pieces (a standard hotdog is 6 inches long, so these will be 2 inches long each) or use mini hotdogs.
- Cut pastry dough into long triangles that are 1" at the base (the base should be along the length of the dough and the height should be the width of the dough) OR, alternately, cut into 1-inch inch recangular strips where the width of the dough will be the length of the strip.
- Place the hotdog at the base of the triangle or at the bottom end of a rectangular strip and roll the hotdog up the dough, wrapping it, until you reach the other end (if you are using triangles, then you will be rolling up to the point).
- Repeat with all of the hotdogs.
- Beat egg and brush over the top of the franks in blankets to give a shine (if desired)
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired).
- Place in an oven that has been preheated to 375°F and bake approximately 12 minutes or until they turn a golden color on top.
- Serve warm.
Notes
* It doesn't matter how many hotdogs you have or how much dough as long as you have enough dough to cover most of the hotdog pieces, So, if you have 10 hotdogs that are 6 inches long and you cut them into 3 pieces that are each 2 inches long, you will need enough dough to cover at least 1 inch of hotdog (if you leave 1/2 inch out each side of the dough). Therefore, you will need a length of puff pastry dough that is at least 30 inches long. The width doesn't matter as much - the more you have, the more dough will surround the hotdog.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 288Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 510mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g