By My week with the kids. Detroit thaw. The streets full of potholes the size of sinks. Thursday Jerome and I took our breaks together and talked restaurant. The dream is closer than it was a year ago.
Pop's in the recliner. Tigers on. Sugar in range this week. Sunday at Mama's. She made greens with hambone the way she has since 1985.
Pulled chicken Saturday — slow-roasted thighs, BBQ sauce, sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls.
Aiden's 11. The youth basketball league. I'm coaching. He's the best player on the team and he knows it. Zaria's 8. Helps me cook on a step stool. Has opinions about the seasoning.
I am tired in the right way. The right way is the cost of love. I will pay it.
The grass came in fast this week. Cut it Saturday morning before the heat. The mower had been sitting all winter. Took three pulls to start. Once it ran, it ran. Some things just need patience.
Mama left me a voicemail Wednesday. She said, "DeShawn. Don't forget Sunday." I had not forgotten Sunday. I have not forgotten Sunday in twenty years. The reminder is the love. I called her back.
I cleaned the smoker Sunday morning. Brushed the grates. Emptied the ash. Wiped down the body. The smoker repays attention. So does most everything that matters.
Pop sat in the recliner Sunday. He fell asleep before the third quarter. We covered him with a blanket.
A neighbor down the street gave me a tomato plant Saturday. He grows them on his porch. Said he had extra. I put it next to the back step where it gets the afternoon sun. Detroit gardens are improvised victories.
The block had a small drama Tuesday. Somebody parked in front of Ms. Diane's driveway. Ms. Diane addressed it directly. The car moved within the hour. The neighborhood polices itself on small things.
The Lions on TV Sunday. Lost on a missed field goal. Detroit. The neighborhood collectively groaned at the same moment. You could hear it through the windows.
Watched the Tigers Sunday afternoon. Lost in extras. Detroit reflex. I yelled at the TV the way Pop used to yell at the TV. The TV did not respond. The bullpen will probably not respond either.
Filled the propane tank Wednesday. The smoker is the only appliance I baby. Wiped it down. Checked the gaskets. Checked the temperature gauge. The smoker is mine the way Pop's torque wrench was his.
A catering inquiry came in this week — fifty-person family reunion. Booked. Saturday after next.
A reader wrote in about the smothered pork chops. Said her late husband loved them. I wrote back. I told her about Pop. We exchanged three emails. She's in Saginaw. She's coming to the city in the spring.
Mr. Williams across the street had a heart scare. He is okay. We are all watching each other now. I took him a plate of greens and chicken Wednesday. He said, "DeShawn. You're a good neighbor." I said, "We're even, Mr. Williams. You shoveled my walk in 2024." He laughed.
The drive home Friday was the long way around. I took Outer Drive past the lake. The water was still. I do not always notice the water. I noticed Friday.
Truck needed an oil change Saturday. Did it myself in the driveway. Took an hour. The neighbor across the street gave me a thumbs-up from his porch. I gave him one back. Detroit men do not waste words on car maintenance.
Plant ran clean this week. The line ran. The body held. The paycheck is the paycheck.
Saturday’s pulled chicken took all day, and that’s exactly why I keep Dogs in a Sweater in my back pocket for the nights when the week has already spent me — the nights Zaria’s on her step stool and wants to help and I need something she can actually roll up with her own hands. Aiden’ll eat four of these without looking up from his phone, and they’re done before the first quarter’s over. Some meals are about craft and patience. Some meals are about getting your people fed and loved without burning anything else down in the process — this is one of those.
Dogs in a Sweater
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 hot dogs (beef or your preference)
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough (8 triangles)
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, optional for brushing
- Ketchup and mustard, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat. Heat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a light coat of cooking spray.
- Separate the dough. Unroll the crescent dough and separate along the perforations into 8 individual triangles.
- Roll ’em up. Lay a hot dog at the wide end of each dough triangle. Roll the dough snugly around the hot dog toward the pointed end, tucking it slightly underneath. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Optional brush. For a little color and flavor, brush each roll lightly with yellow mustard before baking.
- Bake. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the crescent dough is puffed and deep golden brown. The dough should be cooked through with no pale spots.
- Rest and serve. Let them cool on the pan for 2 minutes — the inside holds heat. Serve with ketchup and mustard on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 215 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 590mg