Roasted Poblano Bacon Mac and Cheese Hot Dog

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This beast is like your childhood dreams come to life! Hot dogs and mac and cheese go together like Marky Mark (or David Beckham, I mean c’mon!) and boxer shorts, like The Doctor and Rose, like me tickling Huck’s puppy feetsies when he’s asleep. You can’t have one without the other. Ever since I went to Chicago a couple of months ago, I’ve been angling to get this hot dog back in my face. It’s awkward – lusting after a hot dog, but that dog… I mean, it was like woah guys, like woah. Mac and cheese was my end all be all favorite dish as a kid, always the stuff from a box, always runny and dripping in sauce. I relied on my dad making my mac for years, he always knew just how I liked it and drippy enough that I had to basically eat the cheese with a spoon. It was sick. Thank gawdddd my tastes have matured. Now I’m topping ooey, gooey mac and cheese onto hot dogs. Like a champ. Like I said, you can’t have one without the other. But after my existential experience at The Haute and Dog in Chicago, I’ve been wanting to make my version of their prized and coveted Green Chili Mac and Cheese Dog. So I upped the anty a little bit with roasted peppers and bacon, duh. And here for day four of Hot Dog Days of Summer, I give you the Roasted Poblano Bacon Mac and Cheese Hot Dog, your childhood is calling.

The best thing about this mac is that it only takes 20 minutes to make. By keeping roasted peppers on hand you can save yourself a lot of time. My favorite peppers to keep roasted and jarred in the fridge are red peppers. Roasting poblano peppers follows the exact same steps – you can see how to roast peppers here with my How To Tuesday on Roasting Peppers. You will love having these on hand for just such occassions. Not to mention roasted peppers are fantastic burger toppings for a de classe kick.

The 20 minute mac and cheese is so quick and easy to do, you’ll never go back to the boxed stuff again. Once your roux is golden brown and bubbly, whisk in the milk and cheese until it melts your heart into a puddle. Then mop up that puddle and fold in your favorite cooked noodles, bacon and diced roasted poblano, top it on a dog nestled betwixt toasted buns and BOOM! Done. Wowzer.

You just can’t beat it. So eat it. Just eat it. No one wants to beat it, eat it.

Please someone tell me that Michael Jackson’s Beat It is going through your head, too.

Check out the rest of the Hot Dog Days of Summer line up – and go fire up your grill. STAT.

Sweet Chili Peanut Thai Dog

Andouille Cajun Dog

Bock n’ Slaw Dog

Roasted Poblano Bacon Mac and Cheese Hot Dog

• Author: Country Cleaver
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Description

A quick 20-minute homemade mac and cheese with bacon and diced roasted poblano is piled atop a hot dog nestled betwixt toasted buns.  All the comfort foods from childhood are in one dish!

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Ingredients

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• 2 Poblano Peppers, roasted (directions follow)
• 4 slices Bacon, cooked and diced
• 4 Hot Dog Buns, toasted
• 4 Beef Hot Dogs
• 2 cups Orecchiette Pasta
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1/2 cup White Cheddar, shredded
• 1/2 cup Colby Jack, shredded

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Instructions

Roast Pepper:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pepper into oven on a cookie sheet and roast until the skin bubbles and begins to turn dark brown or black.
2. Remove from oven and place into a zip and seal plastic bag and seal. Allow to steam for 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel skin from the pepper and deseed. Dice and reserve for mac and cheese.

Mac and Cheese:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
2. In pot that pasta was cooked in, add in butter, and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux. Whisk the mixture until it starts to bubble and thicken, turning a slight golden brown.
3. Slowly whisk in milk until combined then the cheeses. Whisk until all cheese has melted. Pour in drained pasta and stir to coat evenly in cheese sauce. Add bacon and diced roasted pepper.

Assembly:

1. Cook beef franks on grill until heated through. Toast hot dog buns until golden brown.
2. Top bun with grilled hot dog and top with roasted pepper bacon mac and cheese. Devour immediately.

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