[2] You can make pesto from scratch with this recipe, or buy a jar (photo © DeLallo).

How about marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and pesto?

That’s the suggestion from target=”_blank”>Jennie-O, maker of turkey franks.

Prep time is under 15 minutes, total time is 30 minutes. The recipe follows.

> National Italian Food Day is February 13th.

> Check below for all the hot dog holidays.

> 30 more hot dog recipes.

> The history of hot dogs.

Plus:
> The difference between rolls and buns.
> Hot dog vs. wiener vs. frank.
> Hot dog vs. sausage: the difference.
> How hot dogs are made.
> Nitrates and nitrites.
> Why there are 10 dogs in a package but only 8 rolls.
> Organic hot dogs vs. conventional hot dogs.
> A & H Glatt Kosher Hot Dogs, one of our favorite brands.
> Field Roast Great Vegan Hot Dogs.
> Wagyu hot dogs from Snake River Farms: We love them!
 
 
RECIPE: ITALIAN HOT DOGS

Ingredients For 4 Servings

1. PREPARE the grill for medium heat. Grill the franks according to package direction.

2. GRILL the buns, cut side down, until golden brown. Spread the inside of tje buns with marinara sauce. Add mozzarella and bell peppers. Place on the grill and close the lid.

3. GRILL for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill. Add the franks. Top with pesto.
 
Perhaps you should serve these with a glass of Chianti instead of a beer?
 
 
HOT DOG HOLIDAYS

 
Plus:

 
 
________________
 
*Hot dogs and hamburgers are both sandwiches: meat in a roll.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

When we look at zucchini prices in the winter months, we think ahead to the summer months and all the zucchini dishes we’re going to make.

This weekend, we’re serve these zucchini crisps with Prosecco, although they go with any wine, beer or cocktail and make a fine side dish or snack-in-front-of-the-TV.

They’re baked, not fried; and combine the best aspects of cheese and salty snacks in the form of a serving of green vegetables. Yes, it’s another way to trick the veg-resistant into eating more veggies!

The zucchini crisps (chips) are also easy to make. Thanks to XBar at the Hyatt Regency, Los Angeles, for the recipe.

The better the Parmesan cheese you use, the tastier the crisps. If you’re a fan of panko, Japanese bread crumbs, you can use them to amp up the dish.

RECIPE: PARMESAN ZUCCHINI CRISPS

Ingredients For 2 Servings

Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. SLICE zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Toss the zucchini with olive oil in a medium bowl.

3. COMBINE the cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Dip the zucchini rounds into the cheese mixture, coating each side. Place the rounds in a single layer on the baking sheet.

4. BAKE the rounds until browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.

When it comes to soft serve ice cream, some fans say that the best is at Dairy Freeze in Boston. Others cite Christy’s Tasty Queen in Kansas City.

Without going to those establishments or any others, we opine that the best soft serve ice cream is at Godiva Chocolatier boutiques.

Godiva has launched a premium soft serve ice cream, and it is spectacular.

First, chose your flavor: Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate Vanilla Bean or Swirl. The softserve is made with Godiva chocolate, which makes it more intensely, more deliciously flavored right off the bat.

Godiva designed custom soft serve machines to deliver the densest, creamiest mouthfeel.

And it gets better: There are crunchy Belgian waffle cones. Choose from plain, dipped in either milk or dark chocolate, or our favorite, dark chocolate with praline almonds (shown in the photo).

Don’t like cones? You can have your softserve in a five ounce cup.

We had the opportunity to try all three flavors recently at the Godiva boutique in Rockefeller Center (52 West 50th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues). What happiness!

And it doesn’t break the calorie bank. A large waffle cone with softserve is 380 calories in a plain cone, 470 in the almond praline cone. It’s worth every calorie.

Bring A Friend To Happy Hour

During Godiva Happy Hour, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, the second cone is half price.

We also noted on the company website that there are punch cards for the soft serve and the Trufflelata shake: Buy six in any combination, the next one’s free.

What better way to celebrate National Ice Cream Month than with a great new soft serve ice cream?

Go for the Godiva, ladies and gents! Go often!

Use this store locator to find the Godiva store nearest to you.