The Talking Dad household would not be doing our zombie duty if we did not celebrate Halloween. We decorate the yard as a cemetery each year and it has become quite a hit around the neighborhood. So naturally, Pal has become a huge fan of Halloween. He’s also growing fond of helping mommy in the kitchen. My two favorite chefs combined the holiday and their hobby into one fantastic evening when we came across Spooky Halloween Recipes for Kids on the Food Network website!
After researching the available spooky recipes, the young sous-chef chose the Crispy Phyllo Wrapped Hot Dog Mummies. As it turns out, it is important to gather the correct ingredients for the optimal fright factor. Check it out!
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One 16-ounce package bun-size hot dogs (8 hot dogs), each halved crosswise
2 ounces Cheddar, cut into 16 thin slices
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 sheets phyllo dough
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Ketchup, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce or your favorite dipping sauce, for serving and decorating
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a slit in each hot dog piece and stuff with a slice of cheese. Set aside. Combine the salt, garlic powder and pepper in a small bowl.
Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time and keeping the rest covered under a damp towel or paper towels, lay a phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or counter and lightly brush with melted butter. Lightly sprinkle with some of the spice mix and fold in half lengthwise. Brush the top with more melted butter and cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Using 2 pieces of stuffed hot dogs per phyllo sheet, wrap half of the strips around each piece of hot dog to create a mummy look. Leave a small section of hot dog exposed towards the top so it looks like the top part of the face peeking out from the phyllo wrappings. Don’t worry about frayed edges or tears– it will add to the mummy look.
Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining phyllo, melted butter, spice mix and hot dogs. Remelt the butter if it cools down too much while forming the mummies.
Bake until the phyllo is crisp and golden brown, about 25 minutes. If desired, dot ketchup or mustard eyes on each mummy using a toothpick and serve with extra sauces for dipping.
