Here’s a recipe contributed by Rachael Silverstein (for whom the courtesy was www.sheknows.com). Reposted from here.

To celebrate this week’s warm weather and Hot Diggity’s smokin’ dogs, we’re sending you and your buds to Hawaii. Your taste buds, that is.

“Frankfurters.” “Weenies.” Whatever you call ‘em, hot dogs are a classic treat. They’re the perfect addition to your family barbecue, your annual camping trip, or your Phillies season tickets. But why eat it naked when you can dress it up? It’s time to teach your old dog some new tricks. Sure, he can high five…but can he hang ten?

(Oh, and don’t even think about eating this on an ordinary hot dog bun. Only Liscio’s rolls can withstand the paradisiacal goodness.)

Ingredients: 
1 pound pork hot dogs
8 Liscio’s hot dog rolls
1/4 cup sweet BBQ sauce
1 fresh pineapple – peeled, cored, diced
4 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill hot dogs until fully cooked through.
2. Place buns on grill, split-side down and grill for 1 to 2 minutes to toast and warm through.
3. Spread an even amount of BBQ sauce on buns and top with hot dogs. Spoon pineapple over top of dogs and sprinkle with coconut.
4. Close your eyes, kick your feet up, and ride the flavor wave.

(Makes 8 servings)

 Pete Band says: “I love hot dogs and pineapples and ketchup and BBQ sauce and bread and coconut. Oh wait that’s all the ingredients in this meal! Wahoo!”

 Josh Band says: “I like bread! I’m an easy to please-y!”

 King Alon says: “Hmmm can we do this vegetarian?…”

 Dr. Lemonade says: “Alon, what’s a matter… chicken?!?!”

Make this part of your feast from the Middle East! Hummus is high in protein, and goes great with pita, chips, fresh veggies, falafel, and more!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chick peas (garbanzo beans), dry (or the equivalent canned)
• 1 c. tahini
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 c. olive oil (extra virgin)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ground cumin, to taste
• paprika, to garnish
• 6 garlic cloves, deskinned

1. Soak the peas overnight in a bowl or pot with the water a few inches above the peas (they will soak it all up). If you are using canned peas, do step 2 then skip to step 5.
2. Heat up the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and roast the garlic for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, replace the water and boil the peas for an hour or two at a light boil for an hour or two until really soft.
4. Drain them.
5. Smash the peas up preliminarily with a glass or potato smasher.
6. Add the other ingredients.
7. Use an immersion blender to blend! You may have to scoop out the chick peas from the hand blender periodically as they are pretty thick. If you don’t have a hand blender, blend in batches.
8. Add more olive oil to make more creamy. If it is too much, you can add water as well.
9. Add more spices (salt, pepper, cumin) for taste.
10. Garnish with paprika!

 Pete Band says: “Sounds really delicious! I had that once in Israel!”

 Josh Band says: “Sounds really delicious! I had that once in Jordan!”

 King Alon says: “Sounds really delicious! I had that once in Egypt!”

 Dr. Lemonade says: “Sounds really delicious! I had that once in AMERICA!“

Another wonderful winter dish, this is warm and moist, yet crunchy with the cashews! Thanks to Jean Rothstein for the recipe.

2 Cups Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
4 ½ Cups water
1 can mushrooms, drained (or fresh mushrooms, sliced)
1 package Onion Soup Mix
3 Tbs. oil
1 jar dry roasted cashews

Mix all ingredients except cashews in deep casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees, no cover.  Check after 1 hour 45 minutes; when water has evaporated, run fork through mixture and bake for 10 or 15 minutes more. When casserole is done, add cashews. Extras:  green pepper, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower. Alternative: You can use a shallow casserole, i.e., 9×12, so that cooking time will be shorter. Serves 8 or more!

Pete Band says: “I prefer white rice, being removed of its nutrients and all, but brown rice will have to do!”

Josh Band says: “A casserole? That’s my favorite kind of roll!”

King Alon says: “With some vegetables on the side, this is definitely a delicious dish!”

Dr. Lemonade says: “Next let’s try making ‘Rice, roasted cashew, and lemon casserole!”

Ingredients:
1/2 an apple
A few frozen pineapple slices
a half a can of mango
6 strawberries
Pom juice
1/4 can of Sprite (or if Sprite is not desired, use San Pellegrino sparkling water or regular water)
two spritzes of orange juice
a bit of ice (if the fruit is not frozen)

Directions:
Put the fruit into the blender. Fill up with Pom juice until the fruit is floating. Pour in 1/4 cup of Sprite and top of with a little orange juice. Blend until the mixture is the consistency of a smoothie. So simple!

 Pete Band says: “I eat smoothies for breakfast (with some SmartFood) every day. They turn my face red!”

 Josh Band says: “Sounds just like what I’d make!”

 King Alon says: “During Prohibition, it was my drink of choice!”

 Dr. Lemonade says: “Strawapple…emon smoothie!”

This dish is perfect comfort food for the cold winter! Warm, creamy, and delicious!

2 cups cold milk
4 tbsps Gold Medal Wondra Quick-Mixing flour
¼ cup butter or margarine
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
8 oz. macaroni pasta
½ lb. old-fashioned sharp cheddar cheese
white bread pieces
butter for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease casserole dish of choice. Start cooking the macaroni and then begin the sauce: In 2-quart saucepan, stir together milk, Wondra flour, butter, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add sharp cheddar cheese until it melts. When macaroni is cooked, drain the noodles and add them to the sauce. Pour mixture in greased casserole dish. Place white bread pieces on top to cover the surface of the cheese/noodles, and intersperse with small pieces of butter. Bake at 350 degrees until brown and bubbly.

If you have extra noodles/cheese, do not bake. Place in a pie plate and cover with heavy foil, freeze.

 Pete Band says: “Wow it has all my favorite ingredients! Butter!”

 Josh Band says: “Hmmm… can we not use bread pieces? It would be better with just whole slices on top.”

 King Alon says: “I love macaroni and cheese! It’s healthy enough, as long as you have it as a side dish.”

 Dr. Lemonade says: “Wow brilliant! Who would have thought to add pasta noodles AND cheese together?! Must have been the Italians.”

From the author (King Alon’s sister Amit) herself:
“I have made this recipe both with chicken and vegetarian (with veggie broth and chick-peas) and it is good both ways ”

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 carrots, sliced and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup plain couscous

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes, turning halfway through or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Add the broth to the skillet and stir in salt, pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Add carrots and onion. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, couscous and chicken. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Fluff gently with a fork and serve.

 Pete Band says: “Perfect for the winter!”

 Josh Band says: “Eat it with toast!”

 King Alon says: “Garnish with some fresh parsley for a colorful addition!”

 Dr. Lemonade says: “A spoonful of this a day keeps me away!”

4 carrots
4 celery stalks
2 white onions
4 cloves garlic
4-6 cups vegetable broth
3-5 cups water
1 package of Trader Joe’s (or other) vegetarian meatballs, cut in half if you like smaller pieces
7 oz. fresh spinach
cup fresh basil (or some dry basil instead)
a little oregano
salt
pepper
grated pecorino cheese (optional)
a package of ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)

1. sautee the vegetables in olive oil till semi-soft
2. add the spinach and sautee till it cooks down some
3. in the same pot pour in the vegetable broth (or transfer the vegs to a pot and pour in the broth)
4. add the water too (or more veg broth) until it looks like there is enough broth (a little at a time, don’t want to add too much water and have it be watery or too brothy)
5. (meanwhile, in a separate pot, bring some water to a boil)
6. bring the soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer
7. add in some of the fresh basil
8. add salt, pepper, and oregano to taste (you’ll probably need a fair amount of salt, though the cheese may later make it more salty)
9. add in the veg meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes
10. meanwhile, in the separate pot of water that should be now boiling, pour in the pasta and simmer (about 10 minutes also)
11. grate the cheese into the soup if desired, and mix; add the fresh basil too
12. drain the noodles–if you keep these separate they won’t get too mushy and won’t suck up all the soup broth!

to serve, ladle yourself some soup and then add as many noodles as desired!

Buon appettito!

Serves 10-12

(To make meat-atarian, use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, and use real meatballs instead of veggie ones).

Pete Band says: “Make it non-vegetarian!”

Josh Band says: “Make it non-vegetarian!”

King Alon says: “It’s better this way! Just don’t tell the Italians!”

Dr. Lemonade says: “There’s an Italian wedding soup?!”

The “Stuffing-mid”! A stuffing-based food pyramid where the shape of the meal corresponds to the nutrition section of the food pyramid:

Bottom layer (grains): Sweet potato and sesame bagel stuffing
Second tier (fruits and vegetables): Tomato, onion, spinach, persimmon, and bell pepper stir fry.
Third tier (protein and dairy): Pecan and adzuki bean mash, brushed with a milk-egg wash.
Tippity top (sweets!!!): A sprinkling of dried blueberries.

Make sure your creation is in the shape of a pyramid. Bake for about 15 minutes until you’re too hungry to wait. Then, enjoy a full day’s worth of proper nutrition!

Pete Band says: “The best layer is the butter layer I add to the top!”

Josh Band says: “Grains! My favorite is the bottom!”

King Alon says: “The best layer is clearly the second tier, with all the vegetables!”

Dr. Lemonade says: “Blueberries are kind of like lemons… so that layer!”

1. Fill a bowl halfway with your favorite yogurt (I like plain Greek).
2. Add granola, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and anything else sweet and delicious.
3. Drizzle with honey.
4. Parfait!

Pete Band says: “Wow that sounds great! Can I add butter?”

Josh Band says: “Mmmm! Perfect! We can sell those prepackaged and frozen. Just toast it!”

King Alon says: “I wouldn’t change it — I love that stuff!”

Dr. Lemonade says: “Lemon yogurt?”