Mini Corn Dogs

My guiltiest pleasure? Corn Dogs. I'll admit it. I don't eat them often but they are really high up there on my favorite foods list. I think the breading is what really does it for me. I love the crisp outside and the soft sweet cornbread inside. Corn dogs are ubiquitous with fun summer times, carnivals and festivals and the circus. Portable food on a stick giving you free reign to run around and enjoy. Party food should be the same way. It should evoke a fun free feeling and it should be easily eaten on the go. And heck it doesn't hurt if it is cute!

Let's be honest anything tiny is cute. Tiny corn dog on a tooth pick? SO CUTE! Served in a plastic shot glass with some mustard or ketchup at the bottom (making it easy to pass around, easy to eat, and easy to dispose of the toothpick when you are done) you have a fun party treat for adults or kids alike (supervise small children).

Ingredients:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Polenta Grind Corn Meal (should be available at most bulk food sections of fine grocery stores)
1/4 Cup white sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Egg lightly beaten
1 Cup Light Flavored Beer (I used a Belgian white ale I like the flavor it has a little spice to it)

1 Pack Cocktail Sausages (I Used Hillshire farms Lit'l Smokies)
40 + Toothpicks

Vegetable oil for frying (quantity will depend on the size of Fryer or if you are using a deep sauce pan on the stove 1 Quart)

In a container with tall sides (I used plastic food storage container that was about 4 in square and about 8 inches tall) blend all dry ingredients for the batter. Add lightly beaten egg. Add beer and whisk together until smooth.

 Pierce one end of each Cocktail sausage with a tooth pick inserting it about half way into the sausage.

Preheat the oil either in your fryer to 350 or in a deep sauce pan over medium heat.

Holding the tooth pick dip each sausage into the batter individually, rolling it around to be certain it is well coated. Slowly lower it into the oil to avoid splashing or sticking to the bottom. Allow to fry till light golden 2-3 minutes turning occasionally with cooking tongs. You can fry 3-4 at a time.

Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to remove any excess oil. Serve as shown above! You can experiment with different flavors of sausage or dipping sauce, your guest will love this two bite nostalgic treat.