Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Beans and Weenie Bake

Category: Casseroles

Serves/Makes: 8
Difficulty: 2
Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

BASE
6 all beef hot dogs (sliced into thick coins)
4 cups good chili with beans (try my Beef Chili With The Works)

TOPPING
1 box (8.5 ounce) corn muffin mix
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

CHIPOLTE CREMA
1 cup sour cream
1 t (or more if you like it hot) adobo sauce (the sauce from a can of chipolte)
chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

In a large cast iron pan over medium heat combine the chopped hot dogs and the chili. Heat until very hot.

In a medium bowl combine corn mix, egg, milk, cheese and jalapeno. Stir well.

Even out the chili/hot dog mixture in the pan (or you could use a baking dish) and spoon corn muffin mixture on top. Bake for 23 - 30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Baking time depends on the size dish you use and how thick the corn bread mixture is.

While baking combine the sour cream with the adobo sauce. Mix well.

When casserole is done, let stand for 5 minutes and cut like you would a pie.

Dollop a spoonful of the crema on top and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

Cooks Notes - A couple days before Memorial Day a customer at work was fretting about what to make for the BBQ he was going to. He said he wanted to make a impression, but needed it to be easy. He also wanted it to be totally "American". I thought what could be more American than beans and weenies.

I was thinking "chili dog", and decided to put it all together in a casserole and used the corn bread instead of a bun. I was so surprised at the reaction I got and yesterday when he came in (he's a regular at my Starbucks) he said it was a huge success.

Make sure the chili hot dog mixture is very hot before you put it in the oven. Otherwise it won't get hot enough by the time the corn bread is done. It is so easy and looks really impressive in the cast iron pan. If you use a baking dish, simply cut into squares.