food: BBQ Left Overs

Ever wondered what to do with BBQ leftovers? Try this simple and easy recipe I doctored from Allrecipes.com.

Chili Hot Dog Casserole:

8 hot dog buns or hamburger buns or combination of whatever you have left
8 hot dogs (or fewer-If you do less, cut them in half or quarter them then slice them so there is hot dog throughout the casserole)
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 recipe Chili to fallow-or 1-2 cans chili

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Tear up the hot dog and hamburger buns and arrange the pieces in the bottom of the dish evenly. Slice the hot dogs into bite size pieces and layer the pieces over the buns.

Pour the chili over the hot dogs, spread some mustard over the chili . Top off with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Cooked Hamburger Chili:

1 large onion
3, 4 or 5 cooked hamburgers (really however many you have left)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 can tomatoes (tomatoes in green chili's is our favorite)
2 can kidney beans (or black beans or pinto beans or or or) rinsed and drained
1 beef bullion


Directions:

Dice the onion and add to a high sided non stick pot with a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture. Caramelize onions over medium heat. Meanwhile cut the hamburgers into 1/2 in pieces (I like to use scissors). Once onions are caramelized add meat and warm through.

Add tomato paste and spices and let brown. Add tomatoes, beans, bullion and water. Simmer 20 minutes (or however long to get your chili to be the consistency you like it). Add thickened chili to Chili Dog Casserole.

Tip: If you had a veggie platter at your BBQ and you still have some carrots, celery, peepers or other combination of good-for-you veggies, chop and add into the chili with the onions. This is my way to sneak veggies into the kid's food!