An all beef, grilled hot dog smothered in creamy, rich macaroni and cheese topped with bacon and green onions. These Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ are sure to be a hit! 

Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

Happy Weekend!

I am so happy to be joining in on our theme this week. Summer BBQ! I almost didn’t, but not because I didn’t want to, but because I wasn’t sure how I’d ever get it all done.

You see, as you’re reading this, I am probably currently completely wrapped up in my daughter Brielle’s return home.

You see, she’s been gone for the past 3 weeks at Truman State University taking advantage of a fun college experience.

I’ve missed her like crazy and as I’m writing this, there are only four short little days until I see her.

I am so excited to make the drive to get her, spend some fun time with my family in a hotel with an indoor pool, and see all the awesome sign language my daughter spent the past 3 weeks learning.

So because of all my other obligations, and our travel arrangements, I didn’t think I’d have time to do anything.

But my teens had other ideas.

Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

Story Behind the Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

The first time someone explained to me what a Ditch Dog was, I couldn’t imagine it.

“Macaroni and Cheese smothering a hot dog to death.” was how it was explained.

Frankly, it sounded weird. Not necessarily gross, just weird.

That all changed the other day when I actually saw one with my own eyes. I was innocently scrolling through my instagram feed and my sweet friend Nancy had just posted an instagram of a Ditch Dog she had eaten that day.

It looked goooood. It called my name. I thought about it for a few days afterward.

I showed it to my teenagers and that was when it was set in stone. We were making it.

I mean, afterall – it’s like the perfect teen food. Ya know?

We don’t eat hot dogs regularly here at all, and we’re quite picky about our hot dogs.

They have to be 100% beef. 100%. Except for my hubby who enjoys turkey dogs.

And we had to have made from scratch macaroni and cheese, which was not a problem since we make it a lot. You know… teens… comfort food…. yeah.

We didn’t go for anything special with the bacon, just regular old yummy bacon.

And the green onions were fresh from our garden, which I have to tell you I am simply loving. Snip, snip. Fresh herbs and veggies anytime we want!

So, before you turn your nose at something you’ve never had, at least have a taste (or see what it looks like first) because we actually really enjoyed these. The teens were a bit fanatic about them.

Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

Don’t forget to check out the other delicious recipes today! Lots of great BBQ recipes to eat in style!

Hot Off the Grill:

Recipe for Ditch Dogs

Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

Ditch Dogs for a Summer BBQ

Nicole Cook
A fun and different hot dog to make your BBQ’s just a little different. Kids LOVE them!
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 466 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 hot dogs grilled
  • 8 hot dog buns toasted or grilled – we used garlic butter and then toasted them
  • 2 cups Macaroni and Cheese
  • ¼ cup green onions thinly chopped
  • 8 slices cooked bacon crumbled or sliced

Instructions
 

Assembling Your Ditch Dog

  • Once everything is ready, lay your toasted/grilled bun flat and place the hot dog on top.
  • Spoon the macaroni and cheese over the top. Use as little or as much as you like. Just remember, you have to close it and eat it, so not too much.
  • Sprinkle bacon and green onions over the top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 19gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1106mgPotassium: 283mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 161mgIron: 4mg
Keyword easy grilling recipes
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65 Comments

  1. I confess the mac ‘n cheese has me sold, Nicole. I imagine your teens will keep you forever hip =)

    Trust you and your family had fun swimming in the swanky hotel pool =)

    Happy summer!

    1. I’m a sucker for mac ‘n cheese, so I had to try it. My teens do seem to try and keep me forever hip or at least on the edge 😉
      We had a wonderful trip, thanks! And happy summer right back to you!

    1. You’re so very welcome. It was one of those things I just couldn’t tell how it would taste and I was pleasantly surprised. Kudo’s to the restaurant that came up with this. lol

  2. GET OUT! I’ve never heard of Ditch Dogs before and now I don’t think I’ll be able to STOP thinking of them! LOL What a delicious idea. I’m IN!!!
    BTW, enjoy having your daughter back home 🙂 Loved your story.

    1. haha Renee, that was my problem. I couldn’t stop thinking about them, and then the kids kept saying… let’s make ’em. I am not sorry at all. They were so fun and delicious. Thank you for the sweet words about Brielle, I am thrilled she is back home. She’s my mini-me (and mini chef, so I especially missed having her company in the kitchen!).

    1. My daughter is the same way Jen, she doesn’t like hot dogs either but she went in for the kill and loved them. I think it’s all the extra toppings… and I mean – there’s bacon 😉 Your secret is safe with me. :p

    1. I know, I know – crazy comfort food but still… oh so different and enjoyable. Yeah… no mystery meat and I haven’t fallen in love with turkey dogs just yet like the husband. LOL

  3. I’ll admit, this one gives me pause. I’m a plain jane mustard & ketchup kind of person when it comes to dogs. My husband on the other hand is a “everything and the kitchen sink” kind of person with his, and he’d probably jump all over this! LOL

    1. It’s all good Conni, my kids were the same way until they wondered about how good this would be. One of them won’t even eat anything on her hot dog but she went for it. I know for sure your husband would enjoy them if he likes them “piled”. 😉

  4. Oh man, I don’t doubt that one look at these dogs set the plan in motion! I don’t know a kid who could resist them. These WILL be tried in my house over the summer, especially once I call my kids in to take a gander at yours! 😉

  5. Who knew this existed? My kiddos would love them, too…and I have a feeling hubby would eat his fair share 🙂

    1. Thanks Paula! (and yum on pasta and sausage!). My prayers for Brielle are that she does decide to work with the hearing impaired. She had such a wonderful experience in the class and then when they went and met with translators to ask questions… she is definitely on the right road. We have a school for the deaf about 20 minutes from here and we are looking into getting her in there as a volunteer, seeing where they could use her so she can see what it would be like. I really do hope she follows this path. I am also familiar with Gallaudet U … GREAT school!

  6. Lol I’m so glad you made these, Nicole, despite your reservations. These are definitely not an everyday kind of food but man oh man, are they delicious! Yay for Brielle coming home! I hope that she’s had an amazing three weeks of learning and growth.

  7. What a fun recipe! I will admit that I’ve cut up hot dogs and put them in mac and cheese before (I’m with your kids… comfort food!) But, wow, on a hot dog in a bun… love it!!!

  8. Oh my goodness…my godson doesn’t eat hardly anything but he loves hot dogs and mac n cheese! How did I never think of this? I am totally making this for him next weekend!

  9. Ok, whoa!!! I have never heard of a ditch dog before, but now I think I’ll be dreaming about one until I make it a reality in my own house. How YUMMY!

  10. Oh my gosh, I’d never heard of this until now, but now the idea is stuck in MY head. Even though we’re both adults with no children, I will admit that my husband and I enjoy hot dogs with macaroni and cheese on the side from time to time 🙂 But I’ve never thought to put the mac ON the hot dogs! Totally trying this!

  11. My boys would be in heaven if I made this for them. A hot dog smothered in mac and cheese AND bacon… who wouldn’t love this? So fun!

  12. I’ve had the real Ditch Dog and it’s interesting. I mean it’s good but yeah it’s takes a moment for you to realize you are slowly killing yourself while you eat a hot dog covered in mac and cheese. 🙂

    1. Perhaps, but is it really any different than having the mac and cheese on the side? As you can see, I didn’t load it on there, in fact, it’s less than a serving size and pretty good as an occasional treat.

  13. Why are they called ditch dogs? Maybe somebody ditched their efforts for dinner and threw mac and cheese on top of a hot dog? haha I’ll admit it does kinda sound weird, but you would eat hot dogs and mac and cheese side by side anyway, so why not on top? I’ll have to try this sometime with leftover mac!

  14. I’ve never heard of a ditch dog! Normally I just eat my dogs plain, but after seeing this, I need to try it! I have no doubt my hubby will be on board with this as well 🙂

  15. I was browsing your homepage to see what yummies you’ve been cooking up recently Nicole, and then, ohmygod, I SAW THE PHOTO AND HAD TO CLICK. Seriously, this sounds absolutely fantastic. Screw it being just teen food, this twenty-something would quite happily scoff them down at every available opportunity. And then sob in the locker room at the gym as the scales keep going up. OK, so maybe not something to eat everyday, but they do look delish.

  16. My kids would LOVE this and I am a huge Mac and Cheese addict. My mom used to chop up hot dogs and put them in Kraft Mac and Cheese when I was little so there is no way this sounds strange to me 🙂

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