Life is What Happens
So here I am, writing Coast-Host-Post … after Labor Day. Why didn’t I get to it sooner? Try 24 overnight guests since Memorial Day — plus two weeks of VRBO visitors — with me, low-key on-site, running to Walmart for the occasional room air conditioner to keep everyone cool, calm and catching the waves.
I know, no complaining. When you live down the shore it’s part of the package. They do the packing, the traveling and the sitting in traffic. We do the meals, the accommodations and the merriment. We ask what they need, and we have it on hand. My pickleball pals race off the courts in the morning to make sure their still sleeping kids, grandkids and guests have breakfast on the table.
No one likes to do a major shopping trip once the weekend hits, so Cape May and Atlantic County “extra freezers” tend to be stocked with hamburgers, hot dogs, French and sweet potato fries all summer long.
Come September, the guests thin out, but the freezer doesn’t. You’re left with odds and ends — four burgers, 14 hot dogs, half-empty chip bags — doomed to linger until you toss them. My freezer is like a barbecue archeological dig — the four burgers left from my niece’s visit on top of the 14 hot dogs from the family reunion. Fall menus take over, and those summer staples ask, “what will become of us?”
So, what to do?
Get creative, shop in your freezer
Your freezer is full, but your pocketbook is most likely empty after all the entertaining you did this summer. Too many trips to ShopRite, too many orders of a dozen bagels or more.
Why not shop in your freezer and make some quick everyday meals with all that leftover frozen stuff?
It’s an old trick but one day’s grilled chicken becomes the next day’s chicken salad. My son snubs leftovers but without them what’s left in the budget for specialty coffee runs and ice cream outings? More and more shore ice cream places are open all year, and we wouldn’t want to miss out on that fun.
So, defrost those burgers, separate those frozen hot dogs from each other, and try: Hamburger-Hot Dog Chili and Mac and Cheese with Potato Chip Topping. These dishes may even be tasty enough for fall company!
Freezer cleanout: Hamburger-Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients (serves 6–8):
- 4 frozen hamburgers, thawed and crumbled
- 4–6 hot dogs, sliced into half-moons
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes
- 1 small can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth (or water)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne (optional, to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for sautéing
Toppings: Your choice
Shredded cheddar, salsa, sour cream, chopped scallions, crushed potato or taco chips
Directions:
- Heat a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil. Crumble the hamburger patties into the pot and cook until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add sliced hot dogs and brown slightly, 3–4 minutes.
- Stir the hamburger back in along with beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth.
- Season with chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavorful.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
From beach bag to baking dish: Potato Chip Crusted Mac and Cheese
Ingredients (serves 6–8):
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni (or any short pasta)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 4 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- ½ tsp white pepper
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 4 cups shredded cheese (mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack or Gruyère)
- 1 cup sour cream or ½ block cream cheese (for extra creaminess)
For the topping:
- 2 cups crushed potato chips (any kind — regular, sour cream & onion, BBQ all work!)
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup shredded cheddar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish
- Cook pasta until al dente; drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Stir in mustard, paprika, salt, white and black pepper.
- Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Fold in sour cream or cream cheese, if going for extra creamy.
- Mix cheese sauce with pasta and pour into a baking dish.
- In a bowl, toss crushed chips with melted butter and shredded cheddar. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
The age-old hot dog/hamburger vs. bun dilemma
The number of burgers and dogs in a package does not match the number of buns in a package.
This quirk reminds me of similar seemingly solvable problems like making pantyhose that don’t run or making cars where stuff doesn’t fall between the driver and passenger seats.
Backyard grillers are eternally frustrated by the hamburger/hotdog and bun mismatch.
Q & A:
Q: Can’t the two manufacturers talk?
The mismatch comes down to different industry standards that grew up separately and never aligned:
- Hot dogs: Traditionally sold by weight, often in 10-packs (a pound of hot dogs = 10 at 1.6 oz each).
- Hot dog buns: Bakeries work with pans that bake in multiples of four or eight, so you usually get eight buns in a package.
- Hamburgers: Same issue — meat is sold by weight (often four or six patties to a pack), while buns stick to those pan multiples.
So it isn’t that they don’t talk — it’s that each side optimized for their own production and packaging methods decades ago, and the mismatch just stuck. By now, it’s almost become a running cultural joke
Q: Did Heinz once launch a campaign urging companies to fix it?
Yes, in July 2021, Heinz launched a campaign called the “Hot Dog Pact” to encourage hot dog and bun manufacturers to sell equal numbers of their products. The campaign, which was promoted with a petition on Change.org, addressed the longstanding annoyance that hot dogs are typically sold in packs of 10 while buns come in packs of eight.
The petition gained significant traction, gathering thousands of signatures and widespread media attention. A year later, in June 2022, the campaign successfully led to a partnership in Canada with Wonder Bread, which began selling 10-packs of buns to match the 10-packs of wieners.
Q: What can I do to combat this problem and still serve my family and my guests good fresh food?
Here are a few tried-and-true fixes people use for the bun-to-meat mismatch:
1. Buy in multiples – Two packs of hot dogs (20) and three packs of buns (24) get you close, and you’ll probably have no leftovers after a cookout.
2. Freeze the extra buns – I don’t love this idea, although buns and hot dogs do freeze well. Double wrap with foil and put in a zip-close bag. I’d serve it to myself and my husband when I’m faced with the choice of buying a fresh soft pack for barbecue guests. It’s hard to pull the freezer-burned ones out of the freezer.
3. Double up – Put two hot dogs in one bun. (Good for kids, big eaters, or big eaters who are counting carbs).
4. Get creative with leftovers – Extra hamburgers and hot dogs? Crumble and slice to make chili as featured above, slice dogs into mac and cheese, or make “hot dog hash” — sauteed hot dogs, sauerkraut and some brown mustard.
5. Look for “matched” packs – Some brands (especially store brands) have started selling hot dogs and buns in the same counts, often 10 each, but you must search a little.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
