SLOPPY DOG CASSEROLE

SLOPPY DOG CASSEROLE
14 ounce package hot dogs, sliced on the bias *
1 pound ground beef
1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped **
1 small onion, chopped (2 1/2 ounces)
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1/2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses, optional
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large pot, fry the hot dog slices until they are brown on the edges; remove from the pan to a 2-quart casserole dish. Add the ground beef, green pepper and onion to the pot and cook to brown the meat; drain the fat, if desired. Add the hot dogs and all of the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and pour into the casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350?for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

* With no more than 1 carb per hot dog.
** I used some frozen bell pepper strips that came with green, red and yellow peppers.

Makes 6 servings

With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 596 Calories; 46g Fat; 37g Protein; 7.5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 6.5g Net Carbs

With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 592 Calories; 46g Fat; 37g Protein; 6.5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5.5g Net Carbs

Please excuse the gross photo of this dish but there was no way to make it look appetizing. I really does taste much better than it looks and my husband liked it a lot. We don't eat hot dogs very often but I got this package of Oscar Mayer bacon dogs marked down super cheap. They just happened to come in an odd sized package which is why I call for 14 ounces. If your package has 12 or 16 ounces, that probably won't make a huge difference in the counts. The label on the ones I used said "<1 carb per hot dog". Click the photo to see a close-up.

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