If you like Corn Dogs then you should enjoy celebrating March 16 National Corn Dog Day #NationalCornDogDaywhich I would be having for dinner if Charlie and his friends hadn’t asked for Quesadillas. Charlie could make himself and his friends Flamin’ Hot Corn Dogs in his Homeschool Cooking Class and before you ask no, I wouldn’t eat one but David would.
I would either have the boys make me a plain Corn Dog or you would find my in the grocery store picking up State Fair Beef Corn Dogs although if truth be none depending on how many people are here I would most likely send David to Sonic to see if Corn Dogs were on sale and that would be my dinner. Because I love Sonic Corn Dogs when there 50 cents a piece. How about you?
As your out and about running errands today search online for a Fair, or anywhere else that sells Corn Dogs and stop for lunch or dinner. Corn Dogs are the perfect blending of tastes: including Cornbread wrapped around a hot Dog ie Weiner and dropped into a deep fryer filled with Oil. Stand back so the Oil doesn’t pop on you.
Now, I have a question for you. What else could a person want from a quick and easy snack that can be eaten on the go? But it gets even better because Corn Dogs are put it on a stick. We all know anything on a stick is better, and National Corn Dog Day reminds everyone of that fact! It’s your job to remind your friends and family of this.
The Corn Dog has an interesting and multicultural history. Corn Dogs can trace their heritage from the Sausage makers of Germany and, by extension, those who immigrated to Texas in the United States. While the State certainly comes with more than its share of hot weather, the Germans who immigrated there weren’t intimidated. They moved there and set up business to sell their Sausages.
As it turns out, those German Texans apparently found that their Sausages were not well received. Because of this, they decided to be innovative, dipping the Sausages in a distinctly American breading called Cornbread and frying them. The first Corn Dog on record was documented in 1927, when a patent was submitted to the US Patent Office describing the process of preparing Corn Dogs in this way:
Since then, Corn Dogs have become incredibly popular, especially at events like fairs and county festivals. In addition, Corn Dogs have found a place in everything from school lunches to being served on military vessels like the USS George Washington. And, of course, frozen versions of Corn Dogs can be purchased frozen at the grocery store and then heated up at home. It just goes to show there’s no wrong place to eat a Corn Dog!
In celebration of this simple yet satisfying treat, a Corn Dog Celebration was inaugurated in the United States in 1992. Beginning in Corvallis, Oregon, the first one was a simple gathering of a few folks who wanted to eat Corn Dogs and watch basketball. The event grew bigger the following year when it expanded to other Cities and included Tater Tots and Beer. Eventually corporate sponsorships from Foster Farms, an American foods company, and Jones Soda came through for the event
In 2008, the event peaked with nearly 5000 different parties on five continents, including one in Antarctica! Since then, the hype isn’t always quite as high, but National Corn Dog Day is still certainly a day worth celebrating. Get on the phone and call all of your friends and family and invite them to a Party in your home. Let them know your celebrating the Corn Dog and to bring there favorite toppings.
Try these Corn Dog related ideas for celebrating the day:
National Corn Dog Day is a day to finally go out and purchase a Corn Dog whether buying them frozen in the store and throwing them in the oven, or heading out to a local county fair and buying Corn Dogs straight from a vendor. Some people may even want to expand their horizons by trying a Cornbrat, which is a Bratwurst deep-fried in Cornbread. I believe I will pass on a Cornbrat but I bet you Daivd will want at least one of them.
One of the largest Corn Dog serving chains in the US, with locations in 44 out of the 50 states (and looking to expand internationally in the near future), Sonic typically offers a special for the day, such as 50 cent corn dogs (normally $1.29).
Wienerschnitzel is a California based chain that has stores in 10 states and Guam. Wienerschnitzel have been serving Corn Dogs since 1965 and have often delighted customers by offering two Corn Dogs for $1 in honor of National Corn Dog Day (normally $1.49 each). Other chains and individual restaurants that serve this delicious treat often give special customer discounts in honor of National Corn Dog Day. If a Sonic or Wienerschnitzel isn’t nearby, it’s worth asking at local restaurants to find out which ones have a special offer.
If you work in a large corporation you may be able to get the company to make plans in advance to sponsor a Corn Dog Food Truck to come to the premises for a special lunch. For smaller employers, grabbing frozen Corn Dogs from a bulk grocery store and serving the Corn Dogs to employees for a fun and rather inexpensive way to bond with staff.
Folks in Oregon started the Corn Dog Festival, so that would be the ideal place to celebrate the National Corn Dog Day! But various Cities throughout the US and the rest of the world have also now joined in. Check out local community listings to find one nearby if there isn’t a celebration contact your City to state a event.
Flamin’ Hot Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- 8 hot dogs
- 3/4 c. finely crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 1/4 c. buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- Red food coloring (optional)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
- Step 1Pat hot dogs completely dry with paper towels. Skewer each hot dog with a wooden skewer.
- Step 2In a medium bowl, combine crushed Cheetos, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne. In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk and egg. Pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Dye with red food coloring until desired color is reached, if using.
- Step 3Pour batter into a tall glass. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add enough oil to come about 2″ up side of pan and heat to 375°.
- Step 4Dip each hot dog into corn dog batter, then carefully add to oil. Fry until deep red and starting to brown and batter is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Work in batches, as necessary.
