Pizza Dogs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 265

Author Margaret Bose Johnson

Ingredients

for the pizza sauce:

1 cup (240 ml) marinara sauce (good quality store-bought or homemade)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
16-24 slices pepperoni sausage (4-6 per bun), or mild sliced sausage or ham
4 hot dog buns, gluten-free, if necessary
½ cup corn kernels (drained canned or defrosted frozen) optional
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
other toppings of choice like sliced olives, mushrooms, roasted peppers, etc.

Instructions

Move the top oven rack so it is about 4 or 5 inches from the broiling element at the top of the oven, and preheat the oven to broil.
Stir together the marinara sauce, garlic powder, and oregano to make a pizza sauce, and set aside.
Fry the pepperoni slices in a dry, non-stick skillet in batches, until they are lightly browned on each side, but not hardened or crispy.
Split the hot dog buns so the halves are opened, but still attached together. Lay the buns on a baking sheet with the cut sides up, and broil them until the tops are toasted and golden. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Remove the pan from the oven.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pizza sauce on each half of the toasted hot dog buns.
Lay 2 or 3 slices of fried pepperoni onto each side of the sauce-covered hot dog buns.
Top each side with about 1 tablespoon of corn kernels, if using them.
Sprinkle each hot dog bun half with about 2 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Slide the pan of buns back under the broiler and grill them just until the cheese melts and is golden in spots. This will only take about 1½ - 2½ minutes, so watch them carefully so they don't burn.
Let the pizza buns cool for a few minutes, then eat the buns open-faced or fold them back together and eat them like a hot dog.

Notes

If pepperoni is too spicy, substitute it with another sausage or ham, thinly sliced.

Add other toppings of your choice on top of the pepperoni and under the cheese. Make sure the toppings are chopped into small pieces or thin slices. Try black or green olives, cooked mushrooms, onion, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, pineapple, juicy pear, defrosted frozen peas, celery, etc.

Nutrition