Does anyone from Nashville remember Fair Park? I’m betting some of you do since it opened in the early fifties and hung around until Opryland was too extravagant to ignore. Fair Park featured a haunted house entered by roller coaster, (I screamed, my sister laughed) a train, the Ferris Wheel that once got stuck, and the infamous Mad Mouse – never to be boarded after a large meal. But speaking of meals, the corn dogs were my favorite food at the park. It was a special treat only to be enjoyed a couple of times a year.
That is probably the best way to enjoy a corndog – it’s hard to find a lot of positive health food benefits included in fried dough thickly coating processed meat.
Another favorite food associated with a fall event is a tailgate chilidog. Again, processed meat and questionable canned chili – maybe not the perfect everyday treat. But I’m working on that!
With football season kicking in and cooler fall weather our porch seems to be calling up friends and inviting them over for football on Sundays (and Saturdays and Thursdays – there is a lot of football!) And so I made – drum roll please – Mini Corn Dog Chili Dippers! Not to brag, but they were pretty adorable, and a definite hit with the crowd.
I used really good all beef dogs and I made our favorite corn bread batter. Muffin tins were sprayed with cooking spray filled half way with batter and in went a third of a hot dog. Fifteen minutes later I popped out 24 perfect little corn dogs.
The chili was my basic recipe, ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin – plus a pinch of chocolate. (Weird but good) It’s pretty much the one in the cookbook without beans, which my guys think, are disgusting on a chilidog. This is a great recipe to double, or triple and freeze for emergency mini chilidog dippers.
My football crowd said this was one of their favorite recipes ever. I have to say; it was a delicious flash to the past that didn’t require too much work, grease, or food that made me feel guilty. This recipe, just like a televised football game, will get lots and lots of replays!
Ingredients
1 pkg favorite all beef hot dogs, cut in thirds
2 cups cornmeal (I like yellow for this but use what you have)
1 cup self-rising flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 eggs
2 ½ cups buttermilk
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients, corn meal through salt in a large bowl.
Mix together butter, eggs, and buttermilk and add to dry mixture stirring to thoroughly combine.
Spray 2 muffin pans (24 muffins) with cooking spray.
Fill each halfway (see photo) with muffin batter, add a hot dog piece and top with a spoon more of cornmeal batter – you don’t have to cover it.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with your favorite chili. or just a big dollop of mustard! You can’t go wrong!
