Go Eat Worms!

Oct 30, 2013

By Fran Hill

I grew up attending Harvest Parties hosted by our church. The youth were garbed in their finest Halloween costumes and took turns pinning the nose on the jack-o-lantern, bobbing for apples, and playing musical tombstones. Of course, a creepy ghost story complete with props was always part of the entertainment. Cooked spaghetti noodles were passed around as brains oozed from a horrible head wound, usually involving an axe wielded by a hideous hooked hand. Eyeballs of peeled grapes, bowls of rice maggots, pasta sauce blood, and dried apple ears made the rounds among the squeamish youngsters as the hair-raising tale slowly unfolded. 

Always, there was one ornery little ghoul in the crowd that couldn't resist attempting to gross out everyone by popping one of those grapes in his mouth or licking the garlic and basil flavored blood from his fingers.

Worm Sandwiches were made for that kid. Hardly a recipe, and certainly not a nutritional powerhouse of a meal, but very fun and oh so very appropriate for Halloween are strips of hot dogs boiled until curly and then tossed with ketchup before being stuffed into buns. Serve Worm Sandwiches up with carrot stick “fingers” and some cheese slices cut into ghostly shapes for a playful and easy pre-trick-or-treating dinner for your ghoulish little (or big) goblins.

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Worm Sandwiches

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns (or 8 hamburger buns, if you prefer)
1/4 cup ketchup 

Slice each hot dog lengthwise into at least 6 long worm-like strips. (Cut hot dog in half and cut each half into 3 strips.) Add to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until hot dog strips have curled like worms. Drain. Return to pan and toss with ketchup until well coated. Serve in buns as worm sandwiches. Serves 8.

 

Fran Hill has been blogging about food at On My Plate since October of 2006. She, her husband and their two dogs ranch near Colome.