My family and I were caught up in March Madness the entire month of March. The road to the championship is almost over. Yes, I’m a basketball fanatic! Along with our love for college basketball, we also like small bites to enjoy throughout the games. Say hello to my mini chili cheese dogs.
The entire family gathers at my house when our favorite teams are playing. We are a house divided when it comes to college basketball, but that’s okay. We love talking trash to each other and we’re never mean with it. It’s all in good fun. I think. And the food has to be on point.
Sports and hotdogs go hand in hand, but I wanted to make something a little different than just plain hot dogs so I went small. The stars of my mini chili cheese dogs are little Smokies (cocktail franks). They may be small, but they’re full of flavor!
The crunch of the slightly sweet, toasted buns is the perfect vehicle to carry the bold taste of the little smokies, the melted cheese, and the flavorful chili.
Small bites always go over well at my parties. They’re fun and easy to eat. You don’t need utensils. Let the games begin!
Mini Chili Cheese Dogs
Preheat oven to 350º. Add chili to a saucepan and heat until warm.
Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add franks and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add Hawaiian rolls to a baking pan. Cut slits in the rolls. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
Place one cocktail frank in each roll.
Top each roll with chili.
Add shredded cheese.
Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes, or until heated and cheese is melted.
This recipe makes 24 mini chili cheese dogs. Feel free to double or triple the recipe. Sometimes, when it’s only a few of us watching the game (rarely) I’ll only make a dozen.
If you don’t like chili from a can, make it homemade. I have the perfect chili recipe.
Ingredients
- 24 Lil' Smokies (cocktail franks - 12 oz.)
- 1 can chili, no beans
- 2 Packs Hawaiian rolls (12 each)
- Shredded Pepper Jack/Cheddar mixture, 2 cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Pour chili into a saucepan and heat until warm.
- In another saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add franks and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain.
- Cut a slit into each Hawaiian roll. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
- Place one frank in each roll and place in two 13x9 baking dishes.
- Top each with chili and cheese.
- Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes, or until heated and cheese is melted.
Are you a college basketball fan? If so, who’s your favorite team?
If you’re looking for delicious game day eats, you’ll love my recipes below.
Cream Cheese Swirled Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
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White Chocolate and OREO Cookies Parfait
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These are an excellent snack for sporting events on t.v., or for movie night. I look forward to making these soon! They look so delicious and easy to make.
Oh yes, I know everyone in my family would love these. Chili cheese dogs are so good. I haven’t made them in a while, so I’ll have to make these soon.
We call these hot dog sliders. My whole family loves them and you can make a bunch to feed a crowd easily.
Those look awesome! I am planning on making these for our next game day party! This would be perfect!
YUM this is such a great idea ha- i can watit to make these for a party we are having a few weeks!
This is so perfect for boy moms like me who are always hosting kids after school–and those kids have bottomless stomachs!
I am doing a cookout for my sons birthday this year and was thinking of things I can make and this is one of them. I would need to make a lot though….boys lol
What a perfect app for a summer backyard party! I love that these are easy and so cute! Pinned for future reference!
The games have been great and finding the right food is a must. These dogs are a perfect snack to watch tonight.
Yum, everything about those looks delicious. I can see them being perfect for any snacking night.
This is such a perfect game-time dish. I love how cute and easy to eat these guys are. Definitely less cumbersome and messy than a full-sized frank.
Now these sound absolutely delicious – I could definitely see these being a great party snack or when your hosting a buffet meal! A great little snack to nibble on!
This would be perfect for me to make for my family while my kiddos are on spring break. Of course this would be perfect for game day as well in my home.
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What a great idea for a quick lunch! I will definitely make them!
These are great bites and they are friendly too for children. They’re pretty easy and simple to do.
These are great snack or appetizer idea, and kids will love it. I would like to make this for next get together.
These mini chili cheese dogs looks inviting. My sister asked me to prepare a snack for her classmates for their group review, now I know what to prepare. My sister and her classmates will pretty sure enjoy this recipe. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wow! This looks so so good! Thank you for sharing!