A great Valentine's Day present for the kids is to fix their favorite red foods for dinner - hot dogs and tomato soup. The only problem is: How do you satisfy the children's craving for simple foods and the adults' yearning for more sophisticated flavors without cooking two entirely different meals?
This balancing act is a struggle for most of the parents I know who have young children. However, today's Valentine's Day-dinner solution is simple. Pigs-in-a-Blanket, one of my own childhood favorites, can be customized easily into a version the kids can enjoy, while I, as a parent, don't have to suffer.Using refrigerated crescent-roll dough as your bun, smear on a little ketchup for the kids, roll the dough around the hot dog and toss it on a cookie sheet. For Mom and Dad, spread on a touch of stone-ground mustard and a smattering of sauerkraut, and then roll up the dog. After a few minutes in the oven, what comes out is the same dinner with a little personal preference built in.
While the "pigs" bake, heat up your favorite canned or frozen tomato soup - but be sure to choose one of the newer low-sodium brands if salt is a dietary concern. Dish out some for the kids; then, for the adults, doctor up the rest of the soup with jalapenos, a dash or two of hot pepper sauce, or a sprinkling of grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese.
For a special Valentine's Day twist, serve the soup in red, heart-shaped bowls or put the hot dogs on decorated plates. Then light a few red candles and enjoy a kid-friendly (but not adult-boring) family meal. What a great way to tell the whole family "I love you."
Menu: Pigs-in-a-Blanket, tomato soup and raspberry or strawberry sorbet.
PIGS-IN-A-BLANKET
> 1 packge reduced-fat all-beef hot dogs
1 package (8 ounces) good-quality crescent rolls
ketchup or mustard to taste
sauerkraut to taste (about 2 teaspoons per hot dog), optional
The oven should already be preheated to 375 degrees.
Open the cresent rolls and separate the dough into triangles. Smear condiments over the dough to personal taste. Place 1 hot dog at the wide end of each triangle and roll up to make "pigs-in-a-blanket."
Place the "pigs" on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve at once with extra sauerkraut on the side, if desired. Makes 8 "pigs."
- Approximate Values Per "Pig" With Low-sodium Tomato Soup: 305 calories (45 percent from fat), 15.5 g fat (5 g saturated), 25 mg cholesterol, 12 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 684 mg sodium.