You’ve got a two bite slider roll bursting with Hot Dog Chili, ‘Lil Smokies, and Cheddar Cheese?!!

Tailgate Party Perfection!

I recently made a Tailgate Luncheon for 45 people…..eeek! And it turned out great! The picture below shows the set up! It was grand!

Here’s how we assemble these super easy and crowd pleasing sliders.

• Dinner Rolls – sliced across the top (not all the way through)
• Beef Lit’l Smokies – one per roll
• Hot Dog Chili – a generous spoonful per slider
• Cheddar Cheese – sprinkled on top of chili
• Bake at 350 degrees – for 10 minutes

Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, planning a game day tailgate party, or a college kid looking for an easy (and affordable) way to feed a crowd – these mini chili cheese dogs do the trick!

We’ve rounded up over 50 of our favorite Game Day & Tailgate Party Recipes for you to choose from. What’s your favorite prime time snack? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Chili Cheese Dog Tailgate Sliders

When you're planning a game day menu, you bet these Chili Cheese Dog Tailgate Sliders will be included.

Course Sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Sliders

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 batch Hot Dog Chili or favorite canned variety
• 2 12-count pkgs dinner rolls
• 1 12 ounce Beef Lit'l Smokies cocktail franks
• 1 8 ounce block cheddar cheese shredded, about 2 cups

Instructions

• Prepare Hot Dog Chili (recipe link in post). Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Lay dinner rolls into (2) 9×13 baking dishes (or one full size foil pan). Cut slits on the tops of each roll being careful not to cut all the way through. Place one Lit'l Smokie in each roll. Top with a generous spoonful of chili. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
• Bake uncovered at 350° F. for 10 minutes or until cheese is fully melted.

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Right smack in the middle of Winter, just when cabin fever is getting real and we’re all longing for spring.

It’s the perfect chance to break out a new Chili recipe to excite your taste buds.

The Chili Police could have great fun with this recipe roundup and argue that none of these recipes are indeed Chili. For the purpose of conveying a collection of soups/stews that are seasoned with aromatics and spices most akin to Chili – we’re going to roll with it.

Here’s a link to a great article from Serious Eats. Divided States of Chili: A guide to America’s Most Contentious Stew

For the recipes below, simply click on the Bold Titles under each image, then scroll to the bottom of the next page.

National Chili Day Recipe Roundup

Beefy Chili

Our Best Chili Yet

How do you know it’s the best chili if you haven’t tried all chilis?

When you’ve never experienced Chili even close to this unctuous vat of love….

…a compromise was met. This is Our Best Chili Yet!

27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne

Speaking of food that’s to die for, this crazy good 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne recipe was born on the pages of a murder mystery.  IF the term Layers of Flavor applied to any single recipe….this might just be the ONE….27 of them to be exact.

Skyline Chili

The main differences between Cincinnati Chili and a traditional Tex-Mex chili is that the meat and onions are very finely chopped (similar to hot dog chili) and the seasonings are certainly unique with unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, and clove shining through.  Oh and let’s not forget the ‘Skyline’ Chili Ordering Code:

1-Way:  just the chili

2-Way:  chili served over spaghetti

3-Way:  chili, spaghetti, and grated cheddar cheese

4-Way:  chili, spaghetti, cheese, and diced onion

5-Way:  chili, spaghetti, cheese, onion, and red kidney beans

All “ways” are served with oyster crackers

Beef & Bean Chili

If you’re looking for a very basic, but very tasty Beef & Bean Chili recipe, look no further.

Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili begins like many of our soup and chili recipes….with a medley of carrots, onions and celery. But that’s just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Hot Dog Chili

Hot Dog Chili is quite different from traditional chili…if there is a traditionalchili.  The main difference is the texture.  Hot Dog Chili has a fine texture which works oh so nicely as a topping for your favorite hot dog.

Christmas Leftovers Chili

Christmas Leftovers Chili began by assessing the leftovers in the fridge. This recipe could easily have been adapted to what you might find after any holiday weekend or big family event.

Chili Change Up

Chicken & Chorizo Chili

Ground chorizo sausage and chicken breasts added to sautéed onion is the base for this chili. What a fantastic way to infuse the broth with the slightly spicy chorizo flavor. 

Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili

Hearty chili but with less calories.  Let’s face it. Most of us don’t need the extra calories and are perfectly happy as long as we’re satisfied.  This chili is definitely satisfying. And pretty :)

White Chicken Chili

This White Chicken Chili {with Fire Roasted Poblano Peppers} fits all the week-night meal requirements.  Quick & easy, figure friendly, and most importantly a dish the whole family with enjoy!

Chili Gumbo

Is it chili? Is it gumbo? Does it matter? It’s delicious!!

Add Chili on Top

Baked Potato with Chili & Cheese

If a baked potato is going to be served as a meal, I say serve it up loaded with this Beef & Bean Chili.  Then go ahead and load it some more with your favorite toppings like Sour Cream & Bacon.

Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Fries

These Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Fries are addicting. The are a hearty fill you up meal that eat like nachos. They also happen to be a fantastic way to use up your favorite chili.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this National Chili Day Recipe Roundup. I’ve got a few more recipes to add to this page before spring thyme blooms – a Nomato version (that’s packed full of veggies – just no tomatoes) and a Texas Red Chili inspired by our recent trip to West Texas and Big Bend National Park.

West Texas and Big Bend National Park

Back in December, after being cooped up for several months 9 months we planned a getaway to West Texas to include two National Parks and a 1000 mile road trip through rural towns and mountain ranges. It was spectacular. On Day 8 – our last full day in Texas, we started bright and early with a gorgeous sunrise followed by skeet shooting. Because Texas.

We made one last unplanned side trip to Terlingua Ranch on our way out of town. We had only learned about the colorful history of this 200,000 acre piece of property the previous night.

Back in the 1960s Carroll Shelby aka Shelby Mustang Cobra designer played by Matt Damon in Ford vs. Ferrari purchased this track of land as an investment, planning to sell off parcels. When sales slowed dramatically he and a few friends decided to host a chili cook off in the tiny town of Terlingua Ghost Town to draw crowds of potential land buyers. What started as a bit of a publicity stunt in 1967, turned into an annual event, spanning 50+ years and drawing crowds of over 10,000 people annually.

Terlingua Ghost Town

Every year since 1967 thousands of chili enthusiasts embark on the town on the first Saturday in November for a two week long chili festival, that’s now known as The Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff.

2020 was the first year in its history that the event wasn’t held due to covid.

We’re talking about a town with a population of about 100 people. Terlingua, Texas is a gateway to Big Bend National Park and therefore tourists like us pay a visit to the Ghost Town and it’s famed Starlight Theatre on our way through to the park.

On our last day, we drove the extra 30 miles out to Terlingua Ranch where we were warmly greeted and given a brief history lesson. Carroll Shelby later sold off the property and we were told that the original logo will be reclaimed by the Shelby family and no longer associated with the ranch at the end of this year. We then got to play 9 holes of disc golf on their desert course 😍 It was spectacular and cactus challenging! It was a great day and the perfect ending to another fabulous bucket list adventure!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post National Chili Day Recipe Roundup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

They are a hearty fill-you-up meal that eat like nachos. They also happen to be a fantastic way to use up your favorite leftover chili from the weekend.

And I call that winning!

Sweet Potato fries are the perfect pairing for a chili topping. The flavors meld so well together. For this recipe you can make your own Sweet Potato Fries or simply use frozen.

There is no shame in frozen French fries and these from ALEXIA are pretty darn good!! They bake up nice and crispy. The perfect base for your favorite chili and lots of cheesy goodness!

Now when it comes to the ‘Chili’ in these Sweet Potato Chili Cheese Fries – you can use your favorite or choose one of ours here. We have meaty chili, vegetarian chili, spicy chili, heart healthy chili. You pick.

When building your chili cheese fries, don’t skimp on toppings. We chose cheddar cheese, but Pepperjack or Monterrey Jack would be amazing! Fresh cilantro and sliced avocado are a must too!

Wrap me in a cozy blank, with a new Netflix series on the tv, and a plate of these Sweet Potato Fries and I’ll be one happy camper.

Is this the right time to ask…. What are you watching on Netflix right now? We’re always up for suggestions! Admittedly I was late to the Netflix game and only began to understand ‘binge watching’ about a year ago. I get it now ;-)

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post Addicting Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Fries appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Chili & Cheese Topped Baked Potato {with Sour Cream & Bacon}. 

I love this combination so much that I got up bright and early one morning with the sole intention of making a pot of chili…so that I could picture it on top of this Perfectly Baked Potato.

If a baked potato is going to be served as a meal, I say serve it up loaded with this Beef & Bean Chili.  Then go ahead and load it some more with your favorite toppings like Sour Cream & Bacon.

The post Chili & Cheese Topped Baked Potato {with Sour Cream & Bacon} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Today is Election Day and we will enjoy dinner tonight….squarely in front of the television.  We kicked around some menu ideas in honor of this important day.  Should we have a red, white, and blue Americana theme or perhaps good ole’ Georgia inspired southern food.  In the end we decided to focus on the ‘swing states’ who seem to hold the future of the country in their hands.  So in honor of the great folks of Ohio….here is our best attempt at your beloved Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili.

To me the main differences between Cincinnati Chili and a traditional Tex-Mex chili is that the meat and onions are very finely chopped (similar to hot dog chili) and the seasonings are certainly unique with unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, and clove shining through.  Oh and let’s not forget the Cincinnati ‘Skyline’ Chili Ordering Code:

1-Way:  just the chili

2-Way:  chili served over spaghetti

3-Way:  chili, spaghetti, and grated cheddar cheese

4-Way:  chili, spaghetti, cheese, and diced onion

5-Way:  chili, spaghetti, cheese, onion, and red kidney beans

All “ways” are served with oyster crackers

This is one of those dishes that met me as I stepped out of the car.  The aromas are intense and warm and sing of Autumn.  Generally when you eat something you relate it back to a dish you’ve had before or a flavor you’re familiar with.  I had never had authentic Skyline Chili.  So we will call on our buddies from Louisville to let you know how we did.  For now I can say with certainty…..this Swing State Chili did not disappoint.  It’s the perfect dish for this rainy cold evening, where I’ll be wrapped in a blanket, glued to election results.

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Swing State Chili {Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili Inspired}

The main differences between Cincinnati Chili and a traditional Tex-Mex chili is that the meat and onions are very finely chopped (similar to hot dog chili) and the seasonings are certainly unique with unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, and clove shining through.

Course Chili

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 quart cold water
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 2 medium onions fine diced
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbl. unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbl. cider vinegar
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions

• Put your ground beef in a food processor and pulse several times.
• Add butter and onion to a 4-quart pot, saute until translucent.
• Add water and bring to a low boil, then add ground beef, return to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces.
• Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 3 hours (longer is better, all day is best!). Add water as needed if the chili becomes to thick.
• If you can make the day before, once cooled skim fat off top. If serving the same day, use a cold spoon to remove excess fat.

Notes

Let’s not forget the Cincinnati ‘Skyline’ Chili Ordering Code:
1-Way: just the chili
2-Way: chili served over spaghetti
3-Way: chili, spaghetti, and grated cheddar cheese
4-Way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and diced onion
5-Way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onion, and red kidney beans
All “ways” are served with oyster crackers

The post Swing State Chili {Skyline Chili Inspired} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

My most favorite day of the year at the office is Halloween (closely followed by the day after Inventory…that’s a me thing).  Not only do we have GREAT costumes, and AWE-Mazing Decorations & Special Effects, but we have FOOD that’s to die for….muahahaha….

Speaking of food that’s to die for, this crazy good 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne recipe was born on the pages of a murder mystery. IF the term Layers of Flavor applied to any single recipe….this might just be the ONE….27 of them to be exact.

If you like a good who-done-it mystery and you like cook books, The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders is for you.  When you’ve finished reading it, you might even catch yourself returning it to your cookbook shelf.  Master chef and amateur sleuth Eugenia Potter returns to Arizona from her Maine cottage when disappearances and murder affect the operation of her ranch.  The author, scatters tasty recipes throughout the plot, including the now famous title recipe 27 Ingredient Chili.

Ingredient #1 is 1lb. dried pinto beans, that need to be soaked in ‘water’ (oddly considered ingredient#2) overnight.  From there, beginning with ingredient #3, the layers of flavor and volume of chili begin to build.  As you eat it you will find yourself identifying them one by one, the sweet of the baked beans, the tang of the chili sauce, and a hint of orange all come together beautifully.  This recipe will easily feed 20.  However, if you’re serving a smaller group, this is a wonderful opportunity to {Share the Love} or freeze some to warm up a cold winter night.

Did I mention the fabulous team I work with and how they/WE love Halloween?!  Here’s a little sampling of our Halloween Buffet.  What you don’t see are crock-pots of love….Cowboy Chili, Wild Mushroom with Chicken & Rice Soup, 27 Ingredient Murder Mystery Chili, Boiled Peanuts (we are in the South after-all), and Beef Stew slow roasted in a Pumpkin….just sayin’.

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27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne {Share the Love}

Course Entree

Servings 20

Author Virginia Rich

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dry pinto beans
• Water to cover
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 onions medium chopped
• 1 7 oz can of diced green chilies
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 lbs. ground sirloin
• 1 lb. pork sausage like Jimmy Dean plain
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 16 oz can of Boston baked beans
• 1 4 oz can pimientos
• 2 30 oz size diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup celery chopped
• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 cup sweet red pepper chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
• 1 9 oz pitted ripe olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley minced
• 1 12 oz bottle of chili sauce
• 1 Tbl. salt
• 1 Tbl. garlic salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbl. cilantro chopped
• 1 Tbl. oregano
• 2-4 Tbl. chili powder more or less-to taste
• 1/2 tsp. orange zest easy does it
• 1 pt. sour cream

Instructions

• Wash and drain pinto beans and soak in water overnight. Drain.
• Cover with water and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile melt butter in large Dutch oven and add onions chilies and garlic. Saute until onion is soft.
• Add chopped sirloin and cook over moderate heat until meat is brown.
• In a separate pan brown sausage and pour off fat. Add sausage to meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir to blend.
• Add pinto and canned beans and all remaining ingredients except sour cream; bring just to boil.
• Lower heat and simmer about 30 minutes.
• Skim off fat with a cold spoon as it rises to the top.
• Serve with sour cream.

Notes

This chili freezes beautifully.

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