Chili cheese hot dog bake
Last night as we talked about
a grocery list, Jordan said, “We need to get the ingredients for chili, because
when the right day hits, it will be sudden.” I used to make what I thought was
a pretty good pot of chili. In fact, in a cookbook, Cooking My Way through
Life with Kids and Books, I called it “Judy’s mild and tentative chili,”
and it got a nice mention in a couple of reviews. But then Christian took over
as the chili expert in our compound. He rarely makes the same chili twice. He’s
a great experimental cook, though he always follows a recipe. Well, mostly.
By happenstance, I wrote a
sourcebook for him several years ago. Texas Tech University Press published Texas is Chili
Country, a compilation of chili history (no, it isn’t Mexican and Mexicans
don’t want to claim it—it’s purely Texan), information about chili cookoffs, an
entire chapter on Wolf Brand chili, and lots of recipes from vegetarian to chili made with game, Cincinnati
chili (with pasta no less) and the chili for a Coney Island dog. Christian
still has lots of recipes to try and we are looking forward to cool weather and
that first pot of chili.
Meantime, here’s my chili. I’m
standing by it.
Judy’s mild and tentative chili
1 lb. ground beef
Enough oil to sauté onion, garlic, and beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup beer
4 tsp. chili powder or to taste
½ tsp.
2 tsp. salt
2 c. beans
Brown onion and garlic; add hamburger and cook until all pink is gone.
Add everything else except beans and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. Stir
occasionally, and add more beer as needed (you’ve got that open warm beer
anyway). Taste and add more chili powder as needed. Add beans and heat just
before serving.
My family likes to top it with chopped purple onion and grated cheddar.
Labor Day isn’t quite cool enough for a pot of chili, and this year it
was certainly too hot. But the holiday that kicks off Fall is a traditional time for hot dogs. I had invited a friend for supper, cautioning that I didn’t
know what we’d have—maybe hot dogs. She wrote back and said, “I love hot dogs!”
When I answered, “Kosher,” she replied, “Of course!” So here’s what I did.
Chili Cheese Hot Dog Bake
Hot dogs (I prefer Hebrew National; there were seven in a package, so
that’s what I cooked)
Hot dog buns (I used split top, but I’m not sure it matters)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic
1 15 oz. can chili without beans (I used Wolf Brand)
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped green onion
Chopped tomato
Place the hot dog buns in a baking dish and put a hot dog in each.
Melt butter in a small skillet and sauté garlic until soft. Brush garlic
butter over hot dogs.
Spoon chili over hot dogs, distributing as evenly as you can. Cover with
grated cheese.
Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 350o for 25-30 minutes.
Garnish with chopped onion and tomato. It not only tastes good, it makes
a pretty casserole.
Don’t you just love Fall? Watch for more about chili, because I’m remembering some good stories from the book, including a mini cookoff in my living room.
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