Aimee’s Pretty Palate: Hot Diggity Dog
It all started when I spotted, and subsequently purchased, a canine button-up shirt that was frankly irresistible, adorned with hot dogs from collar to hem.
If you’re new here, let me bring you up to speed. For over a decade, I have rescued, rehabilitated and fostered Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for the breed-specific rescue group, The Cavalier Rescue. I currently have a tricolor foster at my home as we speak. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are my chosen breed to own and be owned by.
This is not my first birthday party for dogs. In fact, one of my very first canine-curated parties ended up being used on an Angie’s List mailer. A high school friend living in NYC let me know that a flyer with me, along with my then dogs Stella & Milo, landed in her mailbox, and did I know we were famous?
The Hot Diggity Dog Cake is also not the first time I’ve made a dog cake to coordinate with a given theme. I mastered a dog-friendly taco cake years ago when one of my dogs’ birthdays occurred close to Cinco de Mayo. His fiesta is on my website, along with the Angie’s List bistro-inspired party if you want to take a peek at that one, too.
Goosey (Goose when he was in the rescue) is my newest addition. He arrived at the Broussard home in December of 2023 after being surrendered to a clinic in Mississippi to be euthanized. He was emaciated, weighing half of his current weight, and suffering from a plethora of issues. A lucky duck indeed, The Cavalier Rescue intervened. It would take more than 7 months and some miracle working to deem him healthy enough to be adopted.
Goosey has what we call “special sauce.” I recognized this early on while fostering him, but he proved me right, having sailed through obedience class, the Canine Good Citizen certification (advanced, for the record), and becoming an official member of the Bayou Buddies Pet Therapy group earlier this year. He earned his AKC Therapy Dog Novice title in record time. You can follow along with his therapy work on Instagram, @gooseyonthegeaux.
Goosey has a July birthday, and as you can see, he has a lot to celebrate this year. And while I love nothing more than a tail wagging soirée, I know better than to forget to feed the humans, so rest assured, his party is multipurpose and can be used as inspiration for your two-legged family members as well.
With the sizzlin’ hot dog shirt as my muse, I leveled up basic hot dogs by ditching the buns and opting for crescent roll-wrapped hot dog franks dipped in some special sauce of their own: a Cajun-inspired spin on homemade Big Mac sauce. Handheld macaroni and cheese, you say? Yes, indeed, with my Baked Mac & Cheese Muffins. Appearing originally in my Picnics, Potlucks & Porch Parties cookbook and live on QVC, they’re perfectly portable and pawsitively summertime BBQ appropriate.
A resounding hot diggity!
Roll Up Dogs with Cajun Big Mac Special Sauce
8 hot dogs
1 (8-oz.) tube refrigerated crescent rolls
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
Everything Bagel seasoning, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Place hot dog on wide end of triangle; roll toward the point. Repeat with each triangle and remaining hot dogs.
Brush tops of each with a bit of melted butter, and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning, if desired.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
For Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. pickle relish
1 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. Creole mustard
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk ingredients until well combined. Transfer to a serving dish, and use immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Baked Mac & Cheese Muffins
1½ cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 35)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½ (16-oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-cup muffin pan or 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.
In a bowl, combine crushed crackers, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and melted butter. Divide mixture among prepared muffin cups and press firmly into bottom and up sides.
In a large bowl, mix cooked macaroni with ½ cup
cheddar cheese.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, sour cream, 2 Tbsp. cold butter pieces, salt and black pepper. Stir into macaroni mixture.
Spoon 2 Tbsp. macaroni mixture into each muffin cup filled with cracker mixture, and evenly top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and slightly crispy, about 25 minutes.
Allow muffins to cool slightly and loosen edges before removing. Serve warm.
Makes 8 muffins.
Hot Doggity Dog Cake
2 hot dog links
1 cup oat flour (or whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup natural peanut butter
(no Xylitol)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup pumpkin purée
1 egg
For Frosting:
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup peanut butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make hot dog bun baking pans by shaping a piece of aluminum foil (approximately 14 x 12 in. each) into boat-shaped molds. A round container of cinnamon sticks or seasoning will help shape the mold.
Place the container in the center of the piece of foil. Fold each side toward the container, shaping the foil around the container, firmly pressing, and forming a boat while trying to keep the aluminum foil as smooth as possible. When you fold in the ends, use your thumbs to round the corners.
Place molds on a baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, mix together oil, peanut butter, applesauce and pumpkin purée. Once combined, mix in egg.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Divide mixture into two baking pans. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before removing aluminum foil “pan.” Once cool, cut out an inner vessel on top of cake, the size of the hot dog link.
To make frosting: Mix Greek yogurt, peanut butter and a tiny bit of beige-colored food coloring (optional) until well combined. Spread over cake.
Place a hot dog into vessel of cake “bun.” Top with additional colored yogurt icing.
*Slice the cake into bite-sized pieces rather than allowing your dog to devour the entire hot dog. This is high in sodium and best in moderation.
Makes 2 cakes.
