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Hedgehog Meatballs and Chili Dog Pie

This weeks Sunday supper is about kids in the kitchen. That’s a good thing. As parents we should encourage our kids to help out, both in the creative process and in the execution of meals. Both recipes in this post were designed to make my Sonic the Hedgehog loving 5 year-old feel better about trying new foods. In one case, the entire dish was his creation.  In both cases, he flatly refused to eat either of them once they were made.

Everyone else in the house happily enjoyed both however.

Now, I’m not going to say that the master creation of our 5 year-old is in any way healthy. We suggested “Hedgehog Meatballs” to him and he replied that what he really really wanted was a chili dog pie.

Yep… Chili Dog Pie…

Which left it up to the grown-up types to figure out how to make this delicacy happen. Luckily, we’re creative thinkers here at the cbsop test kitchens, and with a little thought and the help of our young apprentice, we got the thing done.

Chili-Dog-Pie3-533x533

So… It’s not gourmet by any means… Or is it?

No it’s not. But it is remarkably good, considering that it is little more than smashed tater tots, hot dogs, canned chili and cheese. It’s about every food group that we’re taught to avoid as adults, all in one massive, calorie and fat laten treat.

The kids loved it. At least the kids that didn’t invent it. My wife and I liked it a little too much as well. It may not be good for you, but it is good, in a guilty pleasure kind of way. Kind of like a pizza… On crack. Yeah, it’s that good.

Chili-dog-pie

Chili Dog Pie
Yield: 12 servings

Chili Dog Pie

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2.5 pounds tater-tots
  • 1 - 14.5 ounce can of your favorite no-bean chili or chili dog sauce
  • 4 bun-length turkey dogs (or 5 normal length), cut in 1/4-inch rounds
  • About one cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees (or whatever temperature your particular brand of tater-tots calls for.)
  2. Cook tots until heated through and just soft. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let cool until they can be handled. (About 15 minutes.)
  3. Meanwhile, heat the chili and slice your hotdogs.
  4. Arrange tots until they just cover the bottom of a greased 13 x 9 - inch baking dish. (You'll have some left over, that's OK!) Press the tater tots flat with the bottom of a smaller baking dish or a sturdy spatula. (you want to really mash them down.) Fill any holes with left over tater tots and press gain until your "crust" doesn't have any holes in it.
  5. Return tots to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.
  6. Remove from oven, arrange hot dogs on crust, pour chili over and spread until coated evenly. top with cheese and cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  7. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.
  8. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 759mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

For our second attempt at new foods, we tried the associative route. we decided we’d make “Hedgehog Meatballs” in honor of Sonic himself, hoping that the little guy would try them. They’re just a slight variation on the classic porcupine meatball from the 50’s, but we thought they might get him to try something new, especially if they looked like a real hedgehog…

Nope. Not a bite.

In any case, the other kids devoured them, which makes e feel a little better about myself since they’re a lot healthier than the first dish was. They were also a runaway hit, as the following picture describes better than I can in words.

Empty-plate

Hedgehog Meatballs

Hedgehog Meatballs

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef 2/3 cup long-grain rice, uncooked 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 Tablespoon Of Emeril's Essence or your favorite Cajun seasoning blend 1 large can (15 ounces) tomato sauce 1 cup water 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Essence 5-6 grinds black pepper

Instructions

  1. heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix ground beef, rice, 1/2 cup water, onion and Essence. Shape onto 1 1/2-inch balls. and place in an ungreased shallow baking dish.
  3. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meatballs. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
  4. Serve hot as a main dish, on a sandwich roll, or with the side f your choice.
  5. Share and enjoy!

What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

I wish that the youngest would have actually tried these meals. But he’s not only a five year-old, he’s also autistic. Some days are better than others. This wasn’t one of the better days. hopefully we’ll have better luck on another day.

And now dear friends, it’s nearly 3 AM as I write this, so please pardon any typos you might have seen in the preceding work. I think I’ve done enough for the day, so it’s off to bed for a few hours. Sweet Dreams!

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