Although the forecast is calling for rain and storms every day for the next week, I'm not giving up hope that the sun will peek out long enough to do a little grilling in celebration of Independence Day.

Most people grill up the usual hot dogs and hamburgers and maybe some chicken, but not me. I love to bring things up a couple notches by making gourmet hot dogs.  And I'll let you in on a little secret- people will think you slaved forever to make these, but the simple fact is that they're ridiculously easy to make and a wonderful twist on a BBQ staple.

When jazzing up my hot dogs, this is how I do it:

To start- you’ll need:
1 package of hot dogs and 1 package of hot dog roll
1. Place hot dogs on grill, in microwave, or boil until cooked.
2. Time to jazz up the hot dogs (don’t worry- it doesn’t take long!)

To make the Los Angeles (my favorite) you’ll need:
1 cucumber diced
1 avocado (Julienne)
2 plum tomatoes (sliced)
¼ cup of ranch dressing
½ teaspoon of celery salt

Directions: Open bun. Place to slices of avocado on both top and bottom of the bun. Spread diced cucumber on bun in between the two slices of avocado. Lay two slices of tomato side by side on bottom of the bun. Sprinkle celery salt to taste. Place the hot dog in the bun. Top of the dog with a tablespoon of ranch dressing and serve.

To make the Memphis (my best friend’s favorite) you’ll need:
1 can of hot dog chili
1 package of bagged cole slaw
Directions: Place cooked hot dog on open bun. Spread a table spoon of hot dog chili over hot dog. Sprinkle coleslaw to taste on top of hot dog and chow down.

To make the Texan you’ll need:
1 can of hot dog chili
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese
1 white onion (diced)
2 jalapenos (Sliced)

Directions: Place cooked hot dog on open bun. Spread a table spoon of hot dog chili over hot dog. Spread a 1/2 teaspoon of diced onions over top of the hotdog. Lay the sliced jalapenos the length of the hotdog. Last sprinkle cheese on to of hotdog and enjoy!

To make the Kansas City you’ll need:
1 package of bacon
1 bottle of BBQ sauce

Directions: Cook bacon till crispy. Crumble up cooked bacon and set aside. Place cooked hot dog on open bun. Spread BBQ sauce to cover the entire hot dog. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over to of hot dog and smile!

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