As you know, I started playing The Grocery Game this summer after 9 years of once a month “Go Big & Go Home“ grocery shopping. We switched gears in an attempt to cut our food budget back, and it’s working! Last week I saved $100!!!!! BUT, there is a catch to this Grocery Game madness…….
I’ve had to learn to menu plan just OPPOSITE of what I used to!
In the olden days, I’d go through all my recipes and pick out whatever my heart desired that month, and then we’d go get the groceries.
Now, with the Grocery Game, I buy whatever is on sale and I have coupons for, THEN I make my menu based on what’s waiting for me in my pantry.
Last month, Hormel Chili Masters went on sale and I had a coupon, so I picked up 2 cans, nervous that it might be gross. Now, we don’t usually eat canned chili, it’s so easy to make your own, but I figured I would find SOMETHING to make with them, and I did!
THESE!
{warning: ugly food photo alert!}
Now I wish I had gotten MORE Chili Masters while it was cheap, because we will be making this again! No worries, they will come back through the sale cycle again, and I will be ready next time! 🙂
Oven Chili Dogs
{click title to print}
Adapted from In the Wabe
I am putting 2 photos because Dale and I couldn’t agree on which one was LESS ugly. I’m telling you, people……Some food is just UGLY. Yummy, but ugly.
So I give you: 2 Ugly photos for the price of 1.
Yipee-skipee.
Please, try to contain your excitement.
#1
#2
Trust me, no matter how ugly it appears, this was actually a really yummy supper!!! It was the perfect way to use the Hot dogs and Chili I had just got on sale at Dillons, and it came together SO quickly! A WIN-WIN all the way!
(Click on the title above to be taken to Tasty Kitchen for an easy printable version.)
Ingredients
- 8 whole Hot Dogs
- 8 whole Wheat Hot Dog Buns
- 2 15 oz. cans Hormel Chili Masters {Or leftover homemade Chili is awesome here}
- ½ whole Onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese
- Mayo, Mustard And Sweet Relish
Spread mayo on the inside of each hot dog bun. Add sweet relish and a stripe of yellow mustard. Fill with hot dogs and tightly squeeze them all in a 9×13 pan, I did 6 down one side and 2 along the edge.
Top hot dogs with chili, cheese and diced onion. Cover and bake at 350* for 45 minutes.
Enjoy! They are SOOOO good!
Welp, I did it. I blogged Macaroni and hot dogs all in the same week.
{hanging head in shame}
I am pretty Anti- “Kid food” (read that: mac n chz, hot dogs, pb&j, spaghetti-o’s, freezer pizza, chicken nuggets & fish sticks) because when I used to babysit, it seemed that was all I ate, due to the limited palate of 2 and 3 year olds. My goal has been to avoid canned meats and boxed foods as much as possible, as well as exposing my kids to all SORTS of different tastes, so they can’t be picky eaters.
Guess this week is proof, that you gotta do what you gotta do! And every once in a while, “kid food” tastes good.
PB & J anyone? 🙂
~T
UPDATED PHOTO as of 9/30/2012
Still not gorgeous, but better! 🙂
4 little Fergusons 