Hey gang!

You know when you have a big project and you kind of just ignore everyone in the world so you can get it finished, and then you feel bad about the neglect and so you want to do something special? Yes?

Me, too! Which is why I’m totes sharing one of my favorite gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free (and shellfish- and fish-free but, come on) recipes, or constructions, kind of, from my upcoming book, Bake Sales Are My Bitch: Win the Food Allergy Wars with 50 Recipes to Keep Kids Safe and Parents Sane. Also, I JUST TURNED IN MY BOOK!!!!!!! WHOOO-HOOOO! Of course, as soon I got back from some spring breaking, a wicked stomach virus knocked me out because that’s just how I roll. But now I’m back and I’m going to wow you with my family’s favorite GFDF Pretzel Pups. Yes, it does seem like we eat a lot of hot dogs around here, doesn’t it? ‘Merica.

Here’s the cool thing about pretzels that I never knew, it’s super easy to make fluffy ones. Those hard ones, I’ve got no idea. But for a fluffy pretzel you basically take pizza dough, boil it with baking soda, egg wash and salt it, and bake it. Cool, right? Which means it was very easy for me to roll up some hot dogs (gf, casein-free as well) in pizza dough strips and go to town. It’s so easy, this guy even helped me out—

Wow, do I need to get a new baking sheet.

Anyway, let your kids roll ’em up, do the egg wash and salting and they’re basically making their own damn dinner. Pretzel Pups!

GFDF Pretzel Pups

Prep time: 15 minutes (add 20 minutes if you’re making your own pizza dough) Cook time: 25 minutes

Makes: 21 servings

Ingredients:

1 ball Wholly Gluten-Free Dedicated Bake House pizza dough (also dairy-free & vegan)
8 hot dogs cut in thirds (I like Applegate for the gluten-free and casein-free element)
5 cups water
¼ cup baking soda
1 egg
Sea salt in crystals

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by spraying with oil.
2. Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle. Cut strips of pizza dough so they will wrap around your hot dog pieces and press end to stick (approximately 4”-6”). Place wrapped dogs on baking sheet.
3. As you’re rolling up your hot dog thirds, boil your water in a large pot. Whisk in baking soda and allow to dissolve.
4. Using a strainer or scoop, drop wrapped hot dogs into boiling water 5-6 at a time, and allow to boil for 30 seconds, or until they “puff” a little bit, before placing back on baking sheet.
5. Beat egg until frothy. Using a pastry brush, coat each hot dog in egg wash, flip to be sure you get the entire pup, and place back onto baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle crystals of sea salt on each dog, and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Serve with mustard, BBQ sauce, ketchup, or whatever your heart desires.

Enjoy, mother scratchers!