Cornchip Day ~ Frito Pie

I miss playing music.  It's almost impossible to play my viola with the kids awake (they want to touch and see and yell at me if I say no) and I can't play when they are asleep...what if they wake up?  We can't have that.  *sigh*  Someday soon I'll get my chops back.

In high school I was in orchestra, a fiddle performance group, marching band, and concert band.  Yep.  I was a Band Nerd and an Orch Dork.  I can actually play a lot of different instruments.  I play piano, viola, violin, mallet percussion (think xylophone type instruments), and lots of other miscellaneous percussion instruments...tom drums, congos, bongos, tambourine, chimes, cymbals, calves, guiro, castanets, well you get the idea.  I was in the PIT (Percussion in Training) for band.  It's not what you think.  PIT is an old term used and carried over to modern application.  The PIT is it's own mini ensemble within the band.  Here.  This will help explain (the PIT is the the bottom left corner of the floor).  I went to high school and performed with the majority of these people, this drumline's instructors were my instructors.

While I was at Gilbert High, we started the WGI program.  WGI (Winter Guard International) is a spring competitive program wheres drumlines and color guards can compete with other schools around the country/world for top ranking.  It's amazing and so incredibly fun.  I really can't describe the rush and intensity to anyone who hasn't played in or attended a WGI competition.  {check out the link, there is video}

After my real freshman year of college, I went and did Drum Corps (pronounced: Core).  Not familiar?  Drum corps is like marching band, on crack.  It's all drums and brass and color guard.  DCI is a 3 month, super intense, competitive performance circuit that takes place across the country.  You may have seen finals on your local PBS channel in August.  There are different divisions based on corps size (memebers) and level of playing ability.  Div 1's (GO SVC! {watch}  Ok, Cavys too, their PIT is amazing! {watch}) are the cream of the crop and it trickles down to Div 3.  The first half of the season is regional.  I was in DCM (Drum Corps Mid-West), then the second half of the season is national.  Corps travel any and everywhere to compete against the best of the best.  What a rush!!

The point to all that was to say Mike plays drums too.  When we started dating we found out we knew many of the same people. And that when I was living in Ohio for drum corps, I got introduced to Frito Pie.  Mmmmm.  And it's National Cornchip Day.  So I made you all Frito Pie for lunch.  Dig in!

Frito Pie

Ingredients:
I bag Fritos cornchips (original, not the scoops)
2 cans Wolf chili, no beans (just use your favorite chili
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a 13" x 9" baking dish, layer cornchips, then chili and top with cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and chili is warmed through.  Serve warm.  

You could add diced onions on top if you want, but I hate raw onions...you heard me.

Also, you can make individual portions (for a party or whatever) by buying the small Fritos bags.  Just cut off one side of the bag, line up chip bags side by side in a baking dish to keep them upright, pour in your chili, and top with cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes.

{photo source}

I like to put a big dollop of sour cream on my Frito pie.  Sour cream is my favorite condiment.  I'm sure I've mentioned this at some point.  :)