This twist on a carnival classic will bring you back to summer, but not back to all of the calories!
Summer is just around the corner! Hooray! It has been so damp and chilly here, I am really looking forward to some warmth and sunshine.
Summer always reminds me of amusement parks, which reminds me of amusement park food. Nowadays they have crazy options like fried Oreos and humongous turkey legs, but when I was a kid, corn dogs were all the rage. Who doesn't love a good corn dog?
The salty hot dog perfectly balances out with the sweetness of the cornmeal, and in case that isn't enough, the whole thing goes into the deep fryer to get crispy and greasy and oh so tasty.
Now that I am older, I still crave those yummy corn dogs, but I am not really up for the fat and calories in a typical preparation. So I started looking for a variation that would be a little on the healthier side. A super-easy way to make them healthier is simply to eliminate the deep fryer.
Baked corn dogs are almost as good, and so much better for you! So I tried making individual corn dogs in the oven a few different ways, but I couldn't find an easy way to get the batter to stay on the dogs while they were baking.
Finally I decided to just throw the whole thing in a casserole dish and call it a day. Which is SO much easier anyway, and it worked perfectly!
Once I had that idea, I also decided to throw in some cauliflower. Why not sneak some veggies in there, while we are at it? Not only do they add a little nutrition, but they help to keep the cornbread moist. And not even DH noticed, haha!
I didn't bother to cut up the hot dogs, but you certainly could do that if you wanted to have them more evenly distributed through the casserole.
Thing 1, Thing 2, and DH were all in agreement - DELICIOUS! I hope you like it too!
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Corn Dog Casserole
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Corn Dog Casserole
Ingredients
- 8.5 ounces corn muffin mix (2 boxes)
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
- 7-8 hotdogs (I used 97% fat free hot dogs from Hebrew National)
- ½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, combine the muffin mix, eggs, milk, and cauliflower.8.5 ounces corn muffin mix, 2 eggs, ¾ cup milk, 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
- Spray a 9x9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add about ½ of the corn muffin mixture to the casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Lay the hot dogs over the corn muffin mixture, then sprinkle the cheese on top.7-8 hotdogs, ½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- Add the remaining corn muffin mixture and spread evenly.
- Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove cover and bake for about 5-10 more minutes, until the top is slightly brown.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
If you like this recipe, you will also like my Cornbread Casserole recipe! In less than an hour you can make this amazing side dish, perfect for a backyard barbecue or church potluck. It's easy to prepare, tastes deliciously sweet and buttery, and is guaranteed to be a hit every time!
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Ann
My husband is obsessed with this casserole. He said he can't believe he lived this long without hotdog casserole in his life! I made it with two boxes of honey jiffy cornbread and Oscar Meyer Angus beef hotdogs, and left out the cauliflower. I made a side of chili. It was a hit.
Kristin King
Wonderful to hear that! Glad you guys liked it! 🙂
Juju
I make this slot. The difference between your recipe and mine is, I make my own cornbread without sugar and after it's done I top it with chili and sprinkle sharp cheddar cheese on it. I don't use cornbread with sugar in it because, sweet cornbread is cake without the icing! JMO