I know this meal may look a little weird to you. But this is meant to be a kids meal, and really, isn't 'weird' perfect when it comes to feeding kids? :o)
Now, I'm not trying to say this is some fancy sneakily-healthy meal for them or anything (although I did use nitrite-free turkey hotdogs!) but it's just plain fun, and sometimes that's all that matters!
Bjørn (2) ate his plain. Navy (9) ate his with ketchup and mustard on the side to dip in. I made a quick homemade cheese sauce for Andrew and I to have on ours (taking this up a notch to a homemade-mac & cheese meal with some goofy chunks of hotdogs in it!) :o)
All-in-all, it was a fun meal that everyone enjoyed and we will definitely be making again!
Older kids can help quite a bit with this meal... and the little ones love to watch the craziness as it unfolds. :o)
Pasta Dogs (& Cheese Sauce) Recipe
Ingredients:
1 (8-count) package hotdogs
1 lb package long noodles (I used fettuccine)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or paprika (depending on the spiciness you would like)
pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or a 4-cheese blend works great!)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Cut each hotdog into 4 pieces. Thread 4-5 long noodles (one at a time) into each piece, so the hotdog piece is in the center of the noodles.
Cook the noodles/dogs as directed on the pasta box until the noodles are cooked how you like them. When they are done, drain and set aside. (If they are going to sit for a bit, you can toss them with a little bit of olive oil.)
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, cooking and continuing to stir until the mixture is smooth and light golden brown.
Slowly whisk in the milk and spices, and then continue to cook and stir until thickened to your preference... (there doesn't need to be an exact science here!). Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted and smooth.
Serve the noodle dogs as is, with dipping sauces on the side, or covered in cheese sauce!
