Bachelor Chow Scientific Kitchens, in association with
The Southwestern Agricultural Cooperative, and
The Methane Producers Alternative Energy Council

Proudly Present:

20 things to do with leftover Chili.

1. Eat it. Dumbass. Do I have to hit you?

Not that you’ll ever be sick of eating chili, but if you’re looking for a way to spice up your spiced gunk, you could always try a few of these suggestions:

2. Chili Dogs. mmmm... chili dogs.
3. Or Chili Cheese Fries.
4. Or Chili Burgers. (these just write themselves) Or a chili bacon double cheeseburger with grilled mushrooms & onions, and a side of transport to your nearest emergency cardiac care facility. Mmmm... bacon and chili.
5. Or a Baked Potato. After adding butter, salt, sour cream, and shredded cheese-- you know, that spud really could use some chili. Amazing what we can do with otherwise healthy vegetables.
6. Corn chips, queso dip, refried beans, sour cream, and you add a bowl of our star ingredient for: a Chili dipping platter. Nachos never had it so good.
7. If you live in Cincinnati, have a three-way. If you don’t live in Cincinnati, count your blessings and go look for the fun-kind-of-three-way.
8. Omelets. I like a salsa, cheese & leftover chili omelet, myself
9. Hash browns. Scattered, smothered, etc., and topped with chili.
10. Lasagna. Ever make lasagna with chili instead of tomato sauce? This can’t really be called Italian food, but it is some damn fine eatin’
11. Dessert. ...nah, I’m just kidding.
11. Or am I? Chili Cobbler: Dutch oven, deck out with the leftovers, top chili with biscuit dough (biscuits from a can—just peel ‘em off and arrange across the top.) and then bake.
12. One last entrée: Steak. (Not an expensive cut.) Cook a tough old T-bone and throw the chili on top. (or cook it in a little chili, if you’re resigned to both sacrificing a half cup of chili, and cleaning up one nasty-crusty-pan afterward. Then again, that’s what real cooks call 'fond' and that crusty crap can make a damn fine sauce/gravy.) Whether or not to serve this with scrambled eggs (highly recommended) is up to you.

“My good-for-nothing parasitic roommates ate everything but 'kindly', left me 'some'. What can I do with just one cup of chili?”

Don’t throw it out yet: Chili as not-quite-the-main-ingredient

13. Chili Rice Bowl: two cups cooked rice, one can black beans, and leftover chili. Very tasty with sour cream. Or as a taco/burrito, if you use drained beans and cook it to reduce a bit.
14. Chili Mac and Cheese: one blue box, cooked per specs, with one cup (or 2) of chili.
15. Chili Spaghetti Sauce: leftover chili added to a jar of store-bought sauce. With some chopped sautéed bell pepper, very nice; works well with a meat sauce—either from a jar, or add you own meat/meatballs/sausage.
16. Salad. O.K., I may be reaching. But rather than greens, try a pasta salad with roasted peppers (from a jar, chopped) with a little diced red onion and leftover chili. This works particularly well with vegetarian chili recipes.
17. More Salad: Make a warm dressing from a quarter cup of chili, vinegar and oil (or a store-bought italian salad dressing), and a spoonful of sour cream. Serve over spinach with crumbled bacon and croûtons.
18. One cup chili, one jar queso dip. Add chips. Or pour on anything. (you can start with #2, chili dogs, and pretty much work your way through the list a second time)
19. About the least `bachelor’ thing on our list: quiche. To a standard quiche recipe, add a quarter cup of diced sautéed onion, some herbs, and a cup of chili.
20. Make more Chili. Throw in the last cup of the previous batch as a sacrificial rite. “Let the circle be unbroken, Ours is the Chili, Meat, and Beans, forever and ever amen.”