In Winter, I want to warm up with a hearty slow cooked stew. For Spring, I like something light and crisp and fresh. In Summer, I want Jersey fresh produce and cooking outside on the grill. And for Fall, you just can’t beat something warm and comforting.
Now that Summer is coming to a close, I’m thinking a fabulous casserole would be just the thing, but full disclosure, I have several projects going on, and I’m not so motivated to cook on a busy weeknight.
So, what do you cook when you don’t feel like cooking?
At first, I thought of just heating up a bowl of my home canned chili, but then I saw this chili dog casserole from All Recipes and thought YES.. THAT’S the right answer. It’s hearty and comforting, it only needs a few store bought items, and it assembles in about 10 minutes. PERFECT!
As I was making it, I thought, this couldn’t be any simpler. Nothing ground breaking here, it’s just a chili dog, after all. But using flour tortillas for the “bun” is the stroke of genius. It makes it SO easy and goes perfectly with the chili. Cool, huh?
So if you’re feeling like an end of Summer casserole, keep this recipe in your repertoire when you need to get something on the table in a snap. It really hits the spot!
2 15oz cans chili (or your own)
8 beef hot dogs
8 taco size flour tortillas
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
Heat oven to 425ºF.
Spread half of the chili in a casserole dish.
Roll up the hot dogs inside the tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of the chili. Top with remaining chili. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Tips:
I topped mine with some jalapeños and sliced green onions, then added a dollop of sour cream. You could also top it with a little ketchup or mustard and some finely chopped raw onions.
Use whatever kind of chili you like. Leftover home made chili? Perfect. Home canned chili? Definitely. With beans or without. All good.
Wanna add more cheese? Do it! There’s no such thing as too much cheese. And for heaven's sake, shred your own! It melts SO much better than the pre shredded stuff and it only takes 2 minutes!
Don't like tortillas? Just leave 'em out!
