Growing Up Jersey

Growing up, my mom made so many different foods. She loved to experiment, but she always had her staples — the ones she made over and over again. A big pot of gravy. Pasta e ceci. Giambotta. Italian potatoes, Italian peas and onions. And one of my all-time favorites: hot dogs, string beans, and potatoes.

It might sound simple, but to me, this dish tastes like home.

A Cleaner Take on Mom’s Classic

Tonight, I decided to recreate my mom’s version — but with a few tweaks. She always used canned potatoes, canned string beans, and a pack of Ballpark franks. I swapped in fresh potatoes, frozen green beans, and organic hot dogs.

I just can’t do canned veggies anymore — have you read those ingredient labels lately? 😬
Still, even with the changes, it brought me right back to her kitchen table.

🥔 Ingredients

• 1 package organic hot dogs, sliced
• 1 tbsp grass-fed butter
• 2 tbsp organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large organic onion, sliced
• 4 organic garlic cloves, sliced
• 2–3 organic potatoes, cubed
• 10 oz organic frozen green beans
• 1 (28 oz) can organic crushed tomatoes or purée
• Splash of white wine
• Crushed red pepper
• Dried & fresh oregano
• Dried & fresh basil
• Sea salt & black pepper
• Water (about ½ can from the tomatoes)

🍳 Directions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high. Add butter and olive oil.
2. Brown the hot dogs until lightly crisp, then remove and set aside.
3. Add onions to the same pot and cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle in crushed red pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
4. Add garlic, dried oregano, and basil. Stir until fragrant and lightly browned.
5. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes. Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up all the goodness from the bottom.
6. Add crushed tomatoes and half a can of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
7. Simmer 4 minutes, then add the hot dogs back in. Cook 4 minutes more.
8. Stir in the string beans and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender and beans are heated through.
9. Finish with fresh herbs, adjust seasoning, and cover until ready to serve.

Optional: for a deeper flavor, add a beef bouillon cube when adding the tomatoes.

💕 A Bite of Nostalgia

This dish is the definition of comfort — simple, satisfying, and full of memories.
The hot dogs add a smoky richness to the sauce, the potatoes make it hearty, and those string beans bring the perfect balance.

If you grew up on hot dogs and potatoes, give this one a try.
It’s easy, budget-friendly, and perfect for fall or winter nights.

And Nicky — if you’re reading this — I hope you can re-create it just like Ma used to. 💛

Don’t forget to hit like and subscribe on my YouTube channel so I can keep bringing Jersey-girl Italian cooking to the South. The link to the video is below. It won’t embed WordPress 😬!

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