Chili Vs. Snow. FIGHT!
It’s been snowing here NONSTOP for the past 4 days, which means that my cravings dictate something hearty to warm me up on this first day of winter (yup, today)! CHILI. YAY. Now, there is some debate on which ingredients go into a traditional chili – chuck roast (stew meat) vs. ground beef, beans vs. no beans… and honestly… choose what you like. If you haven’t guessed, I’ve been braising / slow cooking a LOT of meat lately, so I chose the chewy texture from ground beef. I also chose kidney beans, since they’re not too firm and yet hold their texture – they also add more of a deep red color through out the bowl. So without further adieu…
First, crack open one 32 oz. can of whole tomatoes and drain liquid into a pan. Reduce that liquid by half (so your chili won’t get too watery). Dice the tomatoes into chunks and set aside.
Add one pound of good quality lean ground beef and two teaspoons of chili powder, 1/2 tbsp. of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano to a pre-heated heavy bottomed pot until cooked through (if you’re using ground beef +8% fat, drain off excess oil at this time). Add 1 onion, a green bell pepper and a jalepeno (all chopped) until veggies are soft. Add reduced tomato liquid, tomatoes, drained and rinsed kidney beans and about 1 cup of water to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, covered, over very low heat so all the flavors combine.
My midwestern-ness may show a bit, but this is how I serve chili at home:
1. Throw tortilla chips into a bowl
2. Ladel chili into the bowl
3. Garnish with green onions, avocado and cilantro
4. Top off with juice from a lime
When you’re served the bowl, crunch up the chips from the bottom of the bowl and eat as you please – the longer you wait, the more soggy they become – which actually still imparts another layer of texture blah blah blah. lol. It’s good, ok? I also bought a 40oz. of Miller High Life, since it’s the champagne of beers paired so well with the Sunday-required tomato-based bloody mary. And since Liana would be mad if I didn’t say so, leftover chili can be mixed with cream cheese for a funky dip for parties or bad-for-you™ snacks!
I heart chili! 
~Spec
