Homemade Mayonnaise, Coleslaw, and Hotdog Buns

Last Friday, I was busy... the awesome kind of busy where I filled my day with activities that I enjoyed doing. A good workout (a short bike ride, a short run, weights, and yoga) in the morning; farmers market shopping; and running errands.

At our local food hub, I signed up to get farm fresh eggs. Basically, customers start by buying a plastic egg container (say goodbye to egg cartons!) and paying a $5 deposit to get fresh eggs every week. The best part is getting to choose my own eggs... 

This is so dorky but I absolutely enjoyed choosing the prettiest looking eggs.

When I got home, I still had an entire afternoon to waste... What's a girl to do?

1. Bake scones...

2. Plan for a hotdog dinner extravaganza! Seriously if you decide to eat hotdogs, do it the right way. Meaning... Make your own coleslaw with homemade mayo (it's so easy) and make your own hotdog buns (it's so worth your while).

While you're at this, make spiral hotdogs. Why not? They're fun! Here's the video that inspired the spiral hotdogs...

Without any further ado, here we go:

Homemade Mayonnaise
Adapted from a combination of Julia Childs (Mastering the Art of French Cooking) and Mollie Katzen's (Moosewood Cookbook) Mayonnaise recipes

1 egg (please use a farm fresh egg and let the egg sit at room temperature)

2 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
3/4 cup olive oil

Place egg, lemon juice, salt, dry mustard, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a blender. Blend for a few seconds until everything is well combined.

Turn the blender back on and slowly pour in the rest of the olive oil. Blend for a couple of seconds until the olive oil is well incorporated and the emulsion thickens.

Scrape the mayonnaise into a container with a tight seal and refrigerate.

This is the mayonnaise that will turn your life around. If you love mayo, the homemade version is so much better... It tastes better and is way better for you. Just look at the ingredient list for homemade mayo, nothing gross in there. Best part is, you already have everything you need on hand! So make it, there's no reason not to. Now you can enjoy mayo slathered sandwiches, guilt free.

Homemade Coleslaw

4 cups cabbage (about 1/4 of one head of cabbage), chopped and sliced into thin strips
1 large carrot, cut in thin strips
1 small Walla Walla onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise (recipe above)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
generous dash of lemon pepper (or black pepper)

In a large bowl, toss all the dry ingredients together with clean hands: cabbage, carrot, onion, and dried cranberries.

Add mayonnaise, pour in orange juice and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and mix everything well with a large spoon.

Let the coleslaw sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow flavors to soak in. Give it a good stir right before serving.

I love coleslaw but have never made it myself before. Every time I get the chance to eat them at barbecues, I know they're from the bag and it always kinda grosses me out but I eat it anyway.

After making my own coleslaw with homemade mayo, I was sold. There’s nothing fancy schmancy about my recipe, but the combination of fresh mayo, orange juice, and rice vinegar was so good. It was the right blend of sweet and tart with a nice mildness from the mayonnaise. This coleslaw is the perfect summer side dish to cool you down… Light, fresh, and delicious. I promise it will make you happy. So, so, so happy!

Homemade Whole Wheat Hot Dog Buns

Adapted from Jennifer Reese's Hot Dog Buns, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter

1 cup milk (whole milk)
2 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp yeast (active dry)
olive oil (for greasing)

In a medium size bowl, mix the milk, butter, and egg together using a hand held electric mixer on low until everything is just combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, and yeast.

Slowly pour in the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix with a thin, rubber spatula until you can't mix anymore. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball. Tip the dough off the bowl onto a clean surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Press the dough flat and fold, repeat this process several times. Form the dough into a ball once again. Pour a bit of olive oil on your palm and spread it around the dough and the insides of the bowl. This helps the dough pull away from the bowl easier after it rises. Carefully place the dough back into the bowl and let rise in a warm place for about 70 minutes, just a little over an hour.

After it has risen, carefully tip the dough onto the counter and gently punch it down to deflate. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll the pieces to form a ball and shape into small logs. Place the logs on a greased baking pan or use parchment paper. Let rise for 35-40 minutes.

Move oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. When the logs and your oven are ready, move the baking pan into the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the hot dog buns turn into a nice, golden brown color.

Best when used right away. You can store leftover buns in an airtight bag in the refrigerator.

These hot dog buns are denser but surprisingly soft. Sweet and grainy with a definite full flavor compared to store-bought ones. Trust me, these buns will turn you into a hot dog bun snob.

Another great thing about this hot dog bun recipe is that it can totally be a dinner roll or a breakfast bread. Just shape them into balls instead of logs. For dinner the next night, I placed some cheese slices on top of sliced buns, heated it in the oven and served leftover meatloaf on top. For breakfast the next day, I sliced the leftover buns in half, popped it in the toaster and spread some butter and honey on top. It was perfect with my breakfast eggs.

Enjoy your hot dog dinner outside with a nice, cold drink!