Southern Love in Your Tummy: Chili-Octopus Casserole

While reading Cookin' with Madame Donna: Jiggly J's MacBurger Stew by Madame Donna C., I was reminded how much fun it can be to cook with kids.  I was also reminded that I have a few fun and kid friendly recipes of my own that I should share.  This recipe is a kid magnet - just ask "do you want to help me make Chili-Octopus Casserole?," and you will have the kids intrigued immediately.  They will love discovering that the "Octopus" is actually a hot dog and will revell in getting to freak out family members with this fun meal.  It is a tasty recipe that will appeal to kids and adults alike, and will provide great memories for everyone of time spent together in the kitchen.  This may not be "Southern love in your tummy," but it definitely is "Southern FUN in your tummy!" 

Chili-Octopus Casserole

8 ounces shell pasta

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 package hot dogs

1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes with onion, celery, and green peppers

1 16 ounce can refried beans

1 cup shredded Fiesta Blend cheese

mustard for decoration

In a medium sauce pan, begin boiling pasta.  In a deep fry pan, brown ground beef with spices.  Reserve one hot dog per person being served, cut remaining hot dogs in small rounds and add to browned meat.  Place the reserved hotdogs in the water with the pasta to heat through (about 3 minutes).  Stir in stewed tomatoes and refried beans (a trick to get the beans out of the can - remove both ends of the can and the beans will "plop" (kids love that) right out).  The beans act as a thickener to create a tasty gravy for the casserole.  Remove hot dogs from water, drain aldente pasta and stir into mixture.  Now, to create the octopi: beginning 1/3 down the length of the hot dog, cut in half.  Turn hot dog and cut again, 1/3 down - you now have 4 tentacles.  Take each tentacle and split it in half lengthwise - 8 tentacles created.  Serve a portion of the casserole on a dish, sprinkle cheese, then creatively place the octopus on top.  With mustard, put eyes and a mouth (or whatever the kid wants to do - hair, mustache, eyebrows . . .) and voila, you are ready to serve a fun, kid friendly meal.

Ya'll come back for more great recipes in my series, Southern Love in Your Tummy.