Chili Dog Casserole

One thing that comes with being a parent is

always trying to please my kids.... can i get an Amen? LOL!

With five kids to keep entertained, it can be a challenge!

The Peppered Pantry has been invited to take part in a CSN review again; love CSN and all the different varieties of items they have.

With Summer just around the corner (we can hope right?!), CSN has all kinds of things from Swing set, to bikes, trampolines and even pools...

basically everything you need to keep your kids happy!

Food is always a big challenge when it comes to my kids too

but they loved this Chili Dog Casserole!

This is unbelievably good-really unbelievably!

It has all the kiddo-s favorites-cheese, hot dogs, tortillas...

I think it would be even better with chopped onions, maybe some black olives, even some bacon would be delish and throw on a little extra cheese-YUM!

But this was for the kiddos...so I had to stick to the original-which is really good too:)

Pictured above is all you need!!

Awesome hey?!?

Comes together really quickly-sprinkle tortillas with a little cheese, then roll up with good quality beef hot dogs, place in 9x13 baking dish. Continue until you've used all the dogs.

Top with chili and then cheese.

Pop into a preheated oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes-until heated through.

Some of the kids like to drizzle with a little ketchup.

just sayin...;)

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Steakhouse Shepherd's Pie

In case you haven't all noticed, i am addicted to Food Network!!! I love Rachel Ray's thirty minute meals (even though they take ME more than thirty minutes!) because they are not as time consuming as a lot of meals! The Steakhouse Shepherd's Pie Rachel Ray came up with to substitute going out for a steak dinner! It has a lot of levels of flavor and i LOVE the gravy with the meat, onions and mushrooms!! As Rachel would say.... YUM-O!!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks

Salt

1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices bacon or peppered bacon, chopped

2 lbs. ground sirloin

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. button mushrooms, quartered

black pepper

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups beef stock

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 egg yolk

3 Tbsp. sour cream

1/2 lb. blue cheese, crumbled

3 to 4 Tbsp. chives

1 tsp paprika

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Season water with salt and boil until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Heads up: save a ladle of starchy cooking water just before draining. (i also added butter to my potatoes to keep from boiling over.)

Heat a skillet with high sides over medium high heat. Add olive oil, half a turn of the pan and the bacon. Crisp bacon.

Remove to a paper towel line plate.


Add sirloin to the pan and caramelize the meat, 4 to 5 minutes.



Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until tender, 6 to 7 minutes more; then season with salt and pepper.

While the meat cooks, heat a small sauce pot over medium heat and melt butter.

Whisk the flour into the butter; cook 2 minutes.

Whisk beef stock into flour, add Worcestershire and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Thicken 6 to 7 minutes.

Pour gravy over meat and turn on boiler.

Temper egg yolk by beating it with the starchy potato cooking water. Place drained potatoes back into pot you cooked them in to dry them out a little.

Mash the potatoes with egg yolk and sour cream.

Fold in crumbled blue cheese and chives. (i did not use the blue cheese because we don't really care for it at our house.) Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Unless the pan you used to prepare your meat mixture in is oven safe, transfer your meat mixture to an oven safe dish.

Spread potatoes across the top of the meat in an even layer. Garnish the potatoes with paprika and place under broiler to crisp and brown the potatoes, 2 to 3 minutes.

Crumble reserved bacon over top. Serve immediately right from the hot skillet or dish.

Enjoy!!!

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