Thermos dinner
Chili and cornbread on the sideline when the temperature drops and the game keeps going.
The sun is gone, the field lights are humming, and your kid is shivering in a folding chair.
A jar of steaming chili and a cornbread cup to dip turn the cold wait into the best part of the night.
Ingredients
Use these ingredients for thermos chili and cornbread cups when fills 4 thermoses plus 6 cornbread cups is the right target.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 box (8.5 oz) cornbread mix, plus the egg and milk it calls for
How to Make It
Cook the main part of thermos chili and cornbread cups now, then let the final add-on happen right before eating.
- Heat the oven to 400F and bake the cornbread mix in a greased muffin tin per the box, about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set the cups aside to cool.
- While the cornbread bakes, brown the beef with the onion in a pot over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes. Drain the fat.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick. Ladle in steaming hot.
Pack It Hot Safely
Thick chili holds heat well, but the thermos still needs a warm start to keep it safe and hot.
- Fill the thermos with boiling water and let it sit 5 minutes, then empty it just before filling
- Ladle the chili in at a hard simmer so it starts well above 140F
- Keep hot food at 140F or above; a preheated thermos holds it through a long evening
Pack the Sides Separately
The cornbread stays soft and tasty when it rides outside the steamy jar.
- Pack two cornbread cups in a separate box so they stay tender, not soggy
- Add shredded cheese in a small container to stir in at the field
- Tape a spoon to the lid and tuck in a napkin
- Serve with: cornbread cups, shredded cheddar
Parent Tip
Bake the cornbread cups the night before; they pack beautifully and free up your stovetop.
Make It Fit Tonight
Small Tweaks That Help This Dinner Land
Swap in ground turkey
A leaner chili that still tastes rich after a long simmer.
Add a second bean
Toss in black beans for more texture and a fuller jar.
Make it mild
Cut the chili powder in half for younger kids and add more at the table.
Bake cheese into the cornbread
Fold shredded cheddar into the batter for an extra-savory cup.
Stir in frozen corn
A handful adds sweetness and color the kids notice in a good way.
Plan The Next Step
Build the week around the cold nights
Use the planner to schedule chili for the coldest games and lighter boxes for the warm ones.