THE END.

The time has come. This is the final HotDogAWeek post. Our waistlines and cholesterol levels are probably rejoicing, but we are somewhat bittersweet as this blog comes to an end. Many people have told us that “A blog can’t just end,” or have asked “What’s next?” but to tell you the truth, we don’t really know!

This project started out as a joke, and on a whim decided to start a blog about our hot dog adventures. Alan and I both have always wanted a blog, but the idea of blogging about our lives seemed a little too pretentious. Somehow writing about us eating hot dogs seemed much more doable.

We’ve loved all the feedback we get from people, and have enjoyed finding out how many friends and family members read our blog. It’s been a fun way to stay connected, as odd as it may be.

To end, we decided to replicate our favorite hot dog from Tommy’s. Alan and I sometimes had differing opinions about the hot dogs we ate, but we both agreed that our favorite dog was definitely the Power Dog at Tommy’s.

We wanted to make sure we didn’t skimp on this hot dog. We got buns from the Provo Bakery (no 88 cent buns here!), and bought Hebrew National hot dogs. Although not as inexpensive as Bar S hot dogs, they also were about 289845 times tastier, and they didn’t make us gag.

We started off by grilling the hot dogs in a pan on the stove in Alan’s apartment. Alan then sautéed some onions and sauerkraut and heated a can of chili. We put the dog in the bun, topped it with the onions and kraut, followed by some melted cheese, chili, and finally yellow mustard. 

I must admit, these were pretty good dogs. Definitely not as good as the original, but the hot dogs themselves were really good as far as what you can find at a grocery store. I also really liked the combination of chili and mustard. It was fun to make these dogs at home, and definitely something anyone can replicate.

Alan (and his new 'stache)

Since when do I make hot dogs for dinner, and enjoy them? I’ve gained a lot of respect for good hot dogs and the people who sell and enjoy them.

The end of this blog marks the end of summer for me and Alan. Alan’s pool closed yesterday, and the weather’s already getting cooler. We’ve had a really great summer, but we’re also excited for the semester ahead of us. Alan will be graduating from BYU in December, and moving on into the real world shortly thereafter. I’ll be in the library enjoying the reading load that comes with being an English major. It’s a happy time to look back on the fun we had this summer and to look forward to what lies ahead. 

Thanks for reading!