In case you’re thinking chili cheese dogs, corn dogs and pizza dogs, take a look at these gourmet hot dog recipes. Below are more examples created by chefs across the country. Now, you’re ready to turn hot dogs to haute dogs.

 
These recipes are from our chef friend Ken:

 
WANT SOMETHING EASIER?

Just provide some special ingredients in addition to the traditional hot dog condiments.

 
 
HOT DOG TRIVIA
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, an estimated seven billion hot dogs are eaten by Americans between Memorial Day and Labor Day. And every year, Americans eat an average of 60 hot dogs each!

Finish summer in style with a Strawberry
Basil Gimlet. Photo courtesy Ruth’s Chris
Steak House.

Here‘s a “berry” summery drink: a Strawberry Basil Gimlet.

We were inspired by this photo from Ruth’s Chris Steak House to make a batch yesterday.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY BASIL GIMLET

Ingredients Per Cocktail

Preparation

1. MUDDLE the strawberry and basil leaves in a cocktail shaker with simple syrup. If you’re making multiple cocktails, it’s easier to purée.

2. ADD gin, lemon juice and ice, and shake well.

3. STRAIN into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a basil leaf and large berry, notched onto the rim.
GIMLET HISTORY

A gimlet is a tool for drilling small holes; the name was also used figuratively to describe something as sharp or piercing.

The word “gimlet” for a cocktail was first used around 1928—perhaps for its effects on the drinker. According to Wikipedia, another theory is that the drink was named after British Royal Navy Surgeon Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette KCB (who served 1879 to 1913).

Gimlette allegedly introduced the drink as a means of inducing his messmates to drink lime juice as an anti-scurvy medication. (Limes and other citrus fruit have been used by the Royal Navy for the prevention of scurvy since the mid-18th century.)

A 1928 description of the drink was “gin, a spot of lime, and soda.” In his 1953 novel. “The Long Goodbye,” Raymond Chandler wrote that “a real gimlet is half gin and half Rose’s lime juice and nothing else.”

Forget that, Chandler: You may be a great fiction writer but nothing is better in a gimlet than fresh lime juice. If you want to use a lime juice cordial like Rose’s, here’s a homemade lime juice cordial recipe and the reason why you should make your own.
 
Find more of our favorite cocktail recipes.

This tip was inspired by one of our favorite bloggers, Vicky of the U.K.-based blog Stasty.com. Vicky in turn was inspired:

“We were at a restaurant recently and they had peach lemonade on the menu. It was divine, so I had to replicate it at home, and it tasted even better.

“It’s so refreshing on a hot day and is nice with a shot of vodka as a cocktail. So, I will continue to buy my case of peaches every week until I [no longer] can…”

RECIPE: PEACH LEMONADE

Ingredients

This will be a hit, so make a big pitcher of peach lemonade. Photo courtesy Stasty.com.

2. PURÉE the skinned and pitted peaches in a food processor.

3. PLACE the lemon juice and sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Then, add the peach purée; stir well.

4. COOL the syrup, then add the water and refrigerate. Garnish as desired and serve.
 
Find more of our favorite beverages and recipes.

But now there are even better ones: black rice tortillas from Food For Life. Exotic, gluten free, vegan and yeast free, they are ready to be turned into:

Gluten-free wraps are dramatic as well as tasty. Photo courtesy Food For Life.

Black rice, also known as purple rice and forbidden rice, is a group of rice types that are black or dark brown when harvested, but turn purple when cooked.

Unlike refined white rice, black rice is a whole grain loaded with fiber, 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene, vitamins, minerals and anthocyanins (the same antioxidants that are found in like those found in açaí, blackberries, blueberries and tart cherries, and give all of these foods their deep pigments).

In ancient times, black rice was reserved exclusively for Chinese emperors—thus the name forbidden rice. (See the different types of rice.)

Today, you don’t have to be royalty to enjoy black rice—you can buy it at almost any natural foods store and online. It makes an especially glamorous rice pudding: Thai black rice pudding with coconut milk.

A healthier alternative to traditional wheat flour tortillas, these black rice tortillas are tastier, too.

One thing to watch out for: We didn’t see an expiration on our package and left them out at room temperature. The tortillas are actually pretty fragile: the shelf life is five days at room temperature. But they’ll stay fresh for three weeks when refrigerated and one year frozen.

The tortillas are certified kosher by KOF-K.

Here’s a recipe for homemade gluten-free tortillas.

Here are some of our favorite gluten-free products.

For information on gluten intolerance, visit the Celiac Disease Foundation.

Beyond what is called for in recipes, we add them to every meal of the day, from breakfast eggs and grits to salads (snip fresh herbs onto the greens or into egg salad, tuna salad, etc.), to yogurt (including dips and salad dressings) to grains and potatoes.

You’d be surprised how much better your favorite sandwich or burger tastes with fresh basil leaves, chives and/or other favorite herbs. We grow a pot of basil, our favorite go-to herb, on the kitchen windowsill.

But what if you end up with more herbs than you can use before they fade? Here are 10 of our favorite ways to use those extra herbs.

EVERYDAY COOKING

1. Infuse honey, maple syrup, salad oil, vinegar. If you have more than one herb on hand, you can mixed them.

Add rosemary, basil or whatever you’ve got to olive oil or other cooking oil. Photo courtesy FlavorYourLife.com.

2. Make herb butter. Stir chopped herbs into softened butter. You can keep it in the fridge for several weeks to enjoy as a bread spread and for cooking. Or freeze the butter for future use. One trick is to place the butter in plastic wrap and roll into a sausage shape. Freeze until it starts to firm; then cut into tablespoon-size slices and return to the freezer. Remove slices for as you need them for sauteéeing, to melt atop potatoes, rice and vegetables, etc.

Herb butter is one type of compound butter. Check out these compound butter recipes.

3. Amp up conventional condiments. Add chopped herbs to mayonnaise for a more flavorful sandwich spread. Similarly, add them to ketchup and mustard.

4. Make herb ice cubes for cooking. Add the herbs to an ice cube tray and fill the tray with olive oil, stock or white wine. They’ll be at the ready to pop into sauces, soups, stews, stir-frys, etc.

5. Make pesto. Basil is a traditional pesto base, but anything can be made into pesto, and you can blend different herbs, along with arugula or spinach. Store the pesto topped with a thin layer of olive oil, in an airtight jar; it will keep for months. Homemade pesto recipe.

6. Make herb ice cubes for drinks. Add herbs, chopped as finely or coarsely as you like, to the compartments of an ice cube tray and fill with water. Once frozen, you can pop them out and store them in a freezer bag.

7. Infuse vodka or other spirit. While there are endless fruit-flavored vodkas on the market, delicious herb- and spice-infused vodkas, which are popular in Russia, haven’t taken off with American consumers.

Toss your herbs into a bottle of vodka and enjoy the infused vodka in shots or savory cocktails, like Bloody Marys and Martinis. Infuse chiles, cilantro, rosemary, sage, thyme: The alcohol kills bacteria growth, so you don’t have to remove the herbs (just be sure they are completely covered by the spirit when you infuse them).

The method is easy: Crush the herbs in your hand to help release the oils and add the herbs to a bottle of vodka (you’ll have to consume some of the vodka if the bottle is full). Don’t use a bargain brand: The higher the quality of the vodka, the smoother and more flavorful the infusion. Place the bottle in a dark place and infuse for at least three days and up to two weeks.

Look at other alcohol-herb pairings: bourbon with mint or basil, Limoncello with thyme or whatever inspires you.

BAKING

8. Add to breads, muffins and biscuits. Chop the herbs finely, and don’t hesitate to combine fresh or dried fruit with the herbs. Our favorite combinations: blueberry-rosemary muffins and cheddar chive muffins.

9. Make pie crusts. From quiche to fruit pie, a little basil, thyme or rosemary in the crust can be a most welcome surprise. Use sweeter herbs with fruit pies. For savory pies, add whatever herbs appeal to you: chives, dill, oregano, etc.

10. Dehydrate the herbs. You don’t need an electric dehydrator. The photo above shows what everyone did in the days before dehydrators: Tie the stems with a string (or elastic band) and hang upside down to dry for a few days. You can hang the bunches on pegs, on a makeshift string or rope line, even clothespin-clipped to a hanger.

When dry, remove the stems and store in an airtight container. If you like, you can grind them with a mortar and pestle before storing.

What’s your favorite way to use extra herbs? Let us know.