Northern Exposure Recipes -- Shelly's Hot Dog And Cheese Casserole

Northern Exposure recipes on this page are from "The Northern Exposure Cookbook" by Ellis Weiner, recipes by Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey. Recipes were tested by CeCe Sullivan of The Times food staff and were evaluated by staff members.

SHELLY'S HOT DOG AND CHEESE CASSEROLE 6-8 servings

8 ounces elbow macaroni

1/2 pound hot dogs, sliced in rounds

2 1/4 cups shredded American cheese, divided

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain in a colander.

2. Combine the macaroni, hot dogs and 2 cups of the cheese, mixing well.

3. Combine the butter and onion in a medium-sized saucepan. Saute over medium heat until the onion is wilted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Remove from the heat and slowly add the milk while continuing to whisk. Return to the heat, whisk in salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour evenly over noodle mixture.

4. Transfer to a greased 2-quart casserole (or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan). Sprinkle the remaining 1/4-cup cheese over the top and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes, or until bubbly.

Note: Shelly recommends serving the casserole with ketchup and a cold martini.

Data per 8 servings Calories 336 Protein 14g Fat 18g Carbohydrates 29g Sodium 707mg Saturated fat 11g Monounsaturated fat 6g Polyunsaturated fat 1g Cholesterol 51mg