It's Memorial Day and that means it’s officially (unofficially?) grilling season! I’m extra stoked for summer this year, because our place has a tiny little yard, which we’ve spent the last month transforming into a patio oasis (with tons of help from Kyle, Benson, and Kel). 
Evan, Biscuit, and I have been spending every spare second outside. When you rent and live in the city, your own private outdoor space can be hard to come by, so we feel super lucky and happy with what we have, small as it may be. We have room to plant a few veggies, we have a crow that stalks Biscuit out there, and also, I watched a caterpillar build his cocoon! It’s basically a wildlife refuge/science class/jungle/nature hike/farm/wilderness retreat. 
We kicked off grilling season on our new little patio with bacon wrapped hot dogs! With artichoke jalapeño dip! Hot dogs aren’t really my favorite, but when you add cool, creamy, spicy, bacony elements, I’m all in. 
Oh, and Evan wants you to know that he's trying to get a #dadbod this summer (ie: that perfect mix of beer belly & sort of sometimes goes to the gym). Unfortunately for him, he has amazing metabolism and muscle definition that he has no right to have, no matter how many beer and bacon wrapped hot dog-filled weekends he has. Unfortunately for me, I have terrible metabolism. I basically have enough #dadbod for the both of us. 
Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs with Artichoke Jalapeño Dip
This makes a pretty big bowl of dip, which is great hot or cold, with chips or crackers.
For Dip
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened (room temp)
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 cans artichoke hearts (not marinated), drained & chopped
1/4 cup diced/canned jalapeños
garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
Stir together cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream until combined and smooth. Stir in cheese, artichokes, and jalapeños. Add garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to taste. I usually use about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.
For Dogs
Hot Dogs
Bacon (1 slice per dog)
Buns
Dip
Mustard
Sriracha
Diced white onion
First, soak some toothpicks in water (the longer they soak the less they’ll burn). Wrap each piece of bacon around a dog, and secure the ends with a soaked toothpick, otherwise when they cook, the bacon will shrink up and not stay wrapped. Fire the grill to medium-high heat, and cook bacon-wrapped dogs until bacon is slightly crispy and cooked through. You’ll need to keep an eye on them and use caution, as the bacon grease dripping will cause some flames. Turn and move often to avoid fire hazard. Heat buns on grill until just toasted.
To assemble, put a big scoop of artichoke jalapeño dip in the bun, top with dog, yellow mustard, sriracha, and a sprinkle of onion.
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