Macaroni Salad with Ham and Cheese

Macaroni Salad with Ham and Cheese is such a treat and super easy to make! This is comfort food for the summer y'all! I could eat a big 'ol bowl of this stuff and call it a day! It's that good!

Thumanns Hot Dogs

posted by Marion@Life Tastes Good on 2013-08-19

I hear summer is coming to an end. So, in honor of summer, I decided to share my most favorite hot dog, Thumanns, and how I cook them. We have never been really big hot dog eaters, but in summer you have to eat hot dogs! It's a rule! and that's the truth...

Summer coming to an end seems to be what everyone is talking about these days, but here in FL I can assure you, the kids might be going to back to school, but summer is in FULL swing! We are having the hottest days of the year right now!! Even the lizards are begging to come inside...

One day, and this is the truth, I saw him waving at me! No, I'm not crazy! not really... but I am fairly certain he was trying to get my attention so I could rescue him from the heat and humidity! Poor little guy (or girl I suppose) - there is no end in site until October! Lizards don't do well in my house, so I had to ignore his pleas (after I took his picture, of course). Don't get me wrong, we try the old catch and release when the occasional visitor finds his way in, but those suckers are fast! We have a net and everything, but our success rate is low :(. Our lizard wrangling skills are lacking for sure, but it is a site! Can you just see us...Don with the net on one side of our uninvited guest and me on the other... being outsmarted... by a lizard <sigh>

Ingredients

• Thumann's Pork and Beef Frankfurters
• water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• hot dog buns
• chopped fresh tomatoes
• chopped fresh onions
• chopped bread and butter pickles or your favorite sweet relish
• ketchup
• mustard

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet to mid-high heat and add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Toss in the hot dogs. 
2. Roll them around a bit and when all the water has evaporated, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and sear those dogs on all sides. Let them get that beautiful brown goodness all over because that just adds to their yumminess! 
3. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until internal temp reaches 160 degrees F. The casings will split, but it's all good! No worries! That's how you know they're ready!! If you are not a fan of the casings splitting then this cooking method is not for you...sorry. 
4. When they are browned and sizzling to your liking (and cooked through), serve them up on toasted buns and enjoy them naked or with your favorite toppings. We like them all...the...way! Tomatoes, onions, sweet pickles, mustard, and ketchup! 

For the macaroni salad I use 8 ounces cooked macaroni and add about 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. I also add some diced american cheese and some delicious ham. No specific amounts - just whatever looks good. In addition, I add some sweet pickle relish or some chopped bread and butter pickles will do nicely (I'm on my last jar of my favorite relish given to me by a close friend who got it from a very special person in her life - I'm going to miss this relish when it's gone - it is seriously delicious!). I also toss in some chopped hard boiled eggs, and don't forget the salt and pepper!! Cover and refrigerate a couple hours. When ready to eat add more mayo if it dried out a bit while it was chillin', and adjust the seasonings for flavor.