Thursday, September 25, 2008

Chili

Everybody's got a chili recipe. And they range in type and texture and heat.


I respect that.


Chili is like homemade macaroni and cheese -- everyone has a recipe, and everyone thinks theirs is the best.


I prefer my chili meaty (either quality ground beef or ground turkey), and I prefer mono-bean....I don't like chili that adds a variety of beans to it. I also don't believe other vegetables, fruits, or other miscellaneous items belong in chili. Nor do I like chili that is a "See how spicey of a food I can eat" contest. For me, it's meat, beans (dark red kidney, preferably), tomato sauce and spices. Nothing else.


But this post isn't about MY chili recipe, so much, as it is in the variety of ways we eat chili.


1. My first way -- the way I grew up eating chili -- was just chili-in-a-bowl, served with saltine crackers, and a little cheese sprinkled on top. I ate it this way for 18 years.


2. Sometime in college I experienced cornbread for the first time, and was smitten. I started serving my bowls of chili with cornbread muffins rather than saltines.
3. College also provided me with the delicious, yet fattening....chili on chips. Mmmmmmmmm...


4. Then I met my husband, and his family ate chili served over rice (white or brown -- your choice), with cheese and sour cream on top.


5. Once I moved in with my husband (then boyfriend and soon-to-be fiance), we started experimenting with putting the rice/chili/cheese/sour cream mixture into tortillas and rolling them up like burritos. DELICIOUS.


6. More recently, my husband and I got a little bored with our "Chili-ritos" and this last time we served it Loosely-Cincinatti-Style --- chili served over pasta, with cheese and sour cream. I say this is loosely cincinatti style because I don't mash my chili into a fine pulp like Cincinatti-ians do.


Do you eat chili another unique way? Please share! I'm always looking for new ways to serve chili!


And just in case you were curious anyway -- my plain, simple, and absolutely adored, chili recipe:


Chili
(Me)

1 lb ground beef or turkey (get the good lean stuff, kids. It keeps your chili from being greasy)
2 8-oz. cans of tomato sauce
1 15-oz. (I think?) can of dark red kidney beans, undrained/unrinsed
1 packet McCormick's Original Chili Seasoning (I know. You're disappointed and feel betrayed, because I buy a packaged spice mix. But ya know what? It's so darn convienent, I don't much care. When I'm out of it, I've also been known to just add 3/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin,salt, and pepper, and it's been just as good)


Directions
(This is so easy you might cry)
- Brown meat. Drain any excess fat (especially if you didn't listen to me and you bought cheap meat)
- Mix the meat, spices, tomato sauce, and the can of kidney beans (juice and all) in your pan, and simmer your chili for a minimum of 20 minutes (it'll sit there on simmer nearly as long as you need it to).
-Serve however you please!

3 comments:

What's Cookin Chicago said...

Although I like variations of chili, my hands down fave is the classic... dark kidney beans, meaty above all else and with a subtle heat/kick. Aside from eating chili in a bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream, I also enjoy leftover over potato skins... almost like chili topped potato skin "nachoes". Its definitely not for the health minded but its fun to splurge in moderation :)

kylee said...

I like chicken chili, and I'm with you on the monobean with the meat ones.

Mine is done in a crockpot, and is so simple I'm almost embarrassed to accept compliments for it (particularly since I got the recipe from a book).
Back to your question.

We like ours with tortillas, some cheeses, some sour cream, and maybe a little cilantro.

I am happy to eat it from a bowl with saltines/cornbread though.

Care to share your cornbread recipe? (I just add jalapenos to the cornbread premix *blush*)

Kate said...

I make my chili in the crockpot. Unlike you, I use just a little meat and different types of beans.

This past weekend when I made it, I had intended to serve it over noodles. However, I discovered that all I had were little pasta shells. So, I just added them to the pot. I really liked the texture it added!