Recipe of the Week: Friday Night Lights Frito Pie

Cameron, TX - There's a smell that means fall in a small Texas town, and it isn't pumpkin spice. It's chili simmering in a concession-stand crockpot while the band warms up and the sun drops behind the bleachers.

Around here, Friday nights belong to the Yoemen. The whole town folds itself into those stands — grandparents with stadium blankets, kids with painted faces, everybody standing for the alma mater. And at halftime, there's a line for one thing: Frito pie, served right in the bag, steam rising into the cool night air.

This is the version you make at home for the tailgate or the living-room watch party. It's not fancy. It's not supposed to be. It's Texas in a bag.

Friday Night Lights Frito Pie (serves 6–8)

For the chili:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained (optional — purists, look away)
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water

For serving:

• 6–8 individual bags of Fritos (or one big bag for a walking-taco bar)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Diced white onion, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, hot sauce

Directions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drain the grease.
2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add tomato sauce, water, and beans if using. Simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
4. Open each Frito bag (or fill bowls with chips). Ladle hot chili over the top, then let everybody add their own cheese, onion, jalapeños, and sour cream.

Tip: Set it up as a Frito pie bar and keep the chili warm in a slow cooker — it doubles as the centerpiece of the tailgate.