Pigs in a Blank-et Spaces with We Are Never Ever Getting Back to Cheddar Chili Dip for Super Bowl

Love football? Love Taylor Swift? Either way, this one’s for you!

The Super Bowl is a really big deal in my house. My husband has loved football his entire life, and I learned to love football when we met over 12 years ago. At first, I admit, I was into it for the snacks, but now I genuinely enjoy the game, and I look forward to our annual trip to a Chicago Bears away game. We’re not Super Bowl party type people, and we’re not the go to a bar to watch the big game type people. We’re the stay at home, just us, and enjoy the game with delicious food kind of people. This ensures that we can hear the game, all the commercials, and the halftime show!

My daughter Scarlett at SoFi Stadium in California for the Bears game last year

I always think it’s fun to make an appetizer to represent each team’s hometown, and then round out the snacks with our tried and true favorites like pizza, wings, buffalo chicken dip, etc.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This year, I’m planning to make burnt ends in honor of the Kansas City Chiefs and a sourdough bread bowl filled with spinach artichoke dip in honor of the San Francisco 49ers. No Super Bowl is complete in our house without pigs in a blanket – the pastry covered hot dog or sausage bites are dippable and addictive! I’m changing things up a bit and made this version in a cast iron skillet with chili cheese dip baked in the middle. Who can turn down a chili cheese dog?!

Chances are, whether you do or don’t like football, or whether you are or aren’t a full blow Swiftie, you’ve heard about the Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift romance that’s been brewing this season. I’m not a Swiftie, per se, but I love a good food pun, so Pigs in a Blank-et Spaces with We Are Never Ever Getting Back to Cheddar Chili Dip seemed like the perfect name for this appetizer this year! Not only is this a crowd pleaser with adults and kids alike, it’s a great way to have the kids help in the kitchen with the rolling of the hot dogs. You can also get creative and use different sausage variations too!

Pigs In a Blank(et) Spaces with We Are Never Ever Getting Back to Cheddar Chili Dip

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Serves 6-8

Active Time: 50 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 80 minutes

Pigs in a Blank(et) Spaces

6 hot dogs, cut in thirds

1 can of crescent dough (you can also use puff pastry)

We Are Never Ever Getting Back to Cheddar Chili Dip

4 oz cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar

1.5 cups chili (mine usually has beans but I leave them out for this application, see the recipe below)

1 jalapeno, minced (if you like it spicy, or feel free to omit)

Chili

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 onion, diced

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (trust me)

1.5 cups beef broth

1 14.5oz can diced tomato

Note: This chili recipe makes a small batch but it will be more than what you need for the dip so enjoy the leftovers the next day. 

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté ground beef until no longer pink, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add diced onion, cook for 5 minutes, until translucent.

4. Add tomato paste and incorporate evenly.

5. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes until the spices and garlic become aromatic.

6. Add beef broth, chocolate chips, and diced tomato.

7. Cook for 30 minutes, and taste for seasoning (Usually I’d cook chili for much longer but this is just a small batch.)

8. While the chili cooks, start the pigs in a blanket. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

9. Wrap dough (about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide) around each piece of hot dog, leaving both ends exposed.

10. Line the wrapped hot dogs along the edge of a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet.

11. Bake for 20 minutes, and while the hot dogs are in the oven, make the cheese dip.

12. Mix 1.5 cups of chili with 4 oz of cream cheese, the minced jalapeno, 1 1/4 cup cheese.

13. After 20 minutes of baking, add dip to the middle of the skillet, top the dip with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese, and bake for 10 minutes until the dip is bubbling and the hot dogs are golden brown. You can also use the broiler, just be careful not to burn the dough!

I hope you’re inspired to get in the kitchen and make some great gameday snacks, but we’d love to see you in our kitchens, too! Join us for some of these upcoming fun classes:

• Paczki Party Tuesday, February 13 6pm
• Gluten-Free Comfort Food Wednesday, February 21 6pm
• Know your Gnocchi Wednesday, February 21 6pm
• How to Bake Bread Friday, February 23 11am
• Warming Winter Dinner Party Thursday, February 29 6pm