Chili Recipe

        Sometimes, you find something so delicious, so perfect, that it doesn't need a fancy name or catchy title accompanying it.  Sometimes your creation is so perfect that you can't speak, let alone come up with a clever intro for it.  So here is my chili recipe. (Adapted from: cdkitchen.com recipe HERE )

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs ground beef or 1.5 lbs ground beef & 1 lb pork or other ground meat
• 1 tbsp bacon fat
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 5 cloves chopped garlic
• 12 oz beer
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tbsp beef bullion
• 2 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (I also add a dash of Cayenne, but leave this out if you don't want things too spicy)
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 can (12-18 oz) of chili beans, drained not rinsed

Directions:

1. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned.
2. Drain fat & discard.  Remove meat to a bowl and set aside for now.
3. Heat bacon grease in the skillet, add onion and garlic and cook until tender.
4. Add beer and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of pan to get all the brown delicious crusties.
5. Add remaining ingredients and bring back to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
6. After 2 hours, mix the following in a measuring cup:

• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tbsp cornmeal
• 1 tbsp warm water

     7.  Add this mixture to the chili, mix well, cover and cook for another 20 minutes.

     8.  Serve with cornbread & butter on the side, with toppings of choice (sour cream, cheese, Frito's,           etc).

Enjoy!

*Notes:  Last time I made this, I used half ground beef & half ground steak (Tyson Grilled N Ready Steak, ground up in blender) and it was SO tasty!