chili

Photo by Cafe Kim

Is there anything better on a cold day than chili slow-cooking on the stove, aromas of garlic and spice wafting through the house? I doubt it. And yet, when I went to cook my One-Pot Chili this week, I realized that I don't have a "go-to" favorite recipe. The recipe here is great to start with, but I want to know how YOU make your chili extra-tasty. Let's have a virtual chili cook-off below!


One-Pot Chili

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 clove of garlic

Olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

1 15 ounce can Mexican-style tomatoes (like Rotel)

3 8 ounce cans tomato sauce

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 14 ounce can, drained and rinsed (Mr. Cafe Kim hates beans, so I warm them up in the microwave and add them only to my bowl.)

1 cup water

Worcestershire Sauce (to taste)

Hot sauce (to taste)

chili and corn muffin

Photo by Cafe Kim

Brown meat in stock pot. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain grease. Re-heat pan with a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and let cook for a minute or two (be careful not to let the garlic burn). Add pepper, onions, and jalapeno. Salt and pepper veggies. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently for about 10-15 minutes. Add meat back to pan. Add cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and water. Simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Add Mexican-style tomatoes, sauce, and beans. Salt and pepper again. For more flavor and spice, add Worcestershire and hot sauce. Bring to boil for about 3 minutes. Then lower heat to low and let chili cook for 45-60 minutes. We serve it over pasta but I know that is sacrilegious to some! It goes great with corn bread, too!