Recipe Share

My online friend, Cardee, is hosting a fun blog challenge. Her challenge is to share a simple tried and true dish that you might take to a potluck. Now, I have never taken this to a potluck, but I am on a casserole ministry that takes meals to the families of new moms at our church. If the family has other children I always bring Hot Dog Pie. I know that this may sound unusual, but let me assure you that it is delicious. I have never known anyone, kid or adult, who doesn't like it. This is a recipe that my mom deserves credit for. I think it came from a Pillsbury cookbook she has had since I was a child and she has made this for as long as I can remember.

Hot Dog Pie
1 can Crescent Rolls
8 oz.. Monterrey Jack Cheese
12 oz., Hot Dogs or Sausages
Salt & Pepper
2 Eggs
2 T. Parmesan Cheese

Press rolls into a pie crust, saving a few triangles for on top of pie.
Combine eggs and Parmesan cheese. Add sliced, meat and cubed or shredded cheese and mix. Pour into pie crust and decorate top with lattice using reserved crescent rolls. Flute edges. Bake @ 325 degrees for 70 minutes or until knife inserted 2” from edge comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

I usually buy an extra can of cresent rolls because it can be more of a challenge with just one can. With 2 cans, you will have extra. Actually, I usually double this and buy 3 cans and it is about perfect. I almost always use the hot dogs, but my mom will use little smoky links and serve it for brunch. You know, just to class it up [grin]. Either way, it is wonderful.

As you can see, I have typed this recipe up on a cute little sheet that you can download and print out. There are two versions. One is the original, but the second one is the "de-fattified" version. (Yes, that's the technical term.) A few years ago, I was in First Place and we had a challenge to take a favorite recipe that wasn't so healthy and improve it. (And lets be honest, this ain't the most health conscious recipe!) This second version uses Healthy Choice hot dogs which is what I usually use anyway because they are yummy, not too expensive, and contain way less fat. It also uses canned (refrigerated) pizza crust in place of the cresent rolls. This cuts out a ton of fat, but I have to say is not near as tasty. Even using reduced fat cresent rolls kinda ruins the recipe for me. Perhaps that is because I grew up eating the full fat version and it is just plain yummy. I have even tried filo dough in an effort to cut the fat, but was unhappy with the results. So substitute at your own risk. Now, my mother hates dinking around with the cresent rolls for this. She doesn't like piecing them together to make a crust. So, when she made this for all of us at Christmas, she substituted regular pie crust. Now, I harrassed her that it just wouldn't be the same, (and it wasn't), but...it was still really good. I don't know that there is any less fat in a pie crust (she used the Pillsbury ones that you unfold and lay in your pie pan), but it is just a bit easier.

You can download a full-sized (8 1/2"x11") printable version of this here.

Be sure to check out Carla's blog for more recipe shares.