Recipe Background
Pa's Pizza Dog: A quirky fusion of flavors, perfect for parties.
The first time I made a Pa's Pizza Dog was during a neighborhood block party when my daughter was in second grade. Every year, we had this tradition, and each family brought an outlandish dish to impress. I remember standing there, staring at hot dogs and a jar of pizza sauce, wondering how to make them shine. I decided to butter up hot dog buns and sprinkle them with garlic powder, letting them bake until fragrant. The aroma of buttery garlic always takes me right back to that summer.
The twist came with adding the pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and a good dash of Italian seasoning to the humble hot dog. Mini pepperonis were my creative touch, stolen from a homemade pizza experiment the week before. Watching the cheese melt under the broiler felt like a culinary triumph. To this day, I always recommend keeping an eye on the broiler. Just two minutes can either achieve gooey perfection or teach you the meaning of ‘too toasty.’
As we served these quirky hybrids, there was a moment of silence before the crowd erupted in joy. Pa's Pizza Dog became a legend on our street, requested at every gathering. It's a wonder what a bit of melted butter and a few pepperonis can do. Sometimes, you don't need gourmet ingredients; just creativity and a pinch of Italian seasoning.
Ingredients
- 6 hot dog buns pre-sliced
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 6 hot dogs boiled
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup mini pepperonis
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Open each of the pre-sliced hot dog buns and evenly brush the insides with the melted butter and sprinkle with the garlic powder.
- Place the seasoned hot dog buns on a baking sheet and bake until they are lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack then switch the oven to the broiler setting.
- Evenly spoon the pizza sauce over the inside of each of the toasted hot dog buns, then top with the boiled hot dogs.
- Evenly sprinkle each of the hot dogs with the mozzarella, the Italian seasoning, and the mini pepperonis.
- Broil the pizza dogs until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
- Serve.
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