I think two of the most controversial items in cooking are chili and barbecue. I just moved to North Carolina and found that barbecue is split between types here. Since I haven’t found out which type I’m supposed to be cheering for I think I’ll go with chili for this food diary. Chili is controversial enough. With chili you have beans vs. no beans, tomatoes vs. no tomatoes, ground beef vs. regular meat, dry chili powder vs. fresh chilies, and beef vs. pork vs. chicken vs. vegetarian.
There are so many legends about chili that no one really can say where it originated. Texas seems to have the most claim to chili or at least the most legends. We know that the chili pepper is found in many cuisines around the world. The first evidence in the New World comes from around 6,000 years ago in Peru. Around 1150 A.D. the peppers found their way to Chihuahua. It didn’t really start making its way into the indigenous cuisine until after the Spaniards came. Around the 16th century chilies made their way into Southeast Asia. Now according to folklore chilies can protect you against the evil eye. However I doubt that they would be much protection against a true chili head.
Chili can be made many different ways. You can cook chili for hours, you can throw it together in a crockpot, and you can throw it together in minutes on the stove. You can grind your own spices or you can find a commercial brand in almost every grocery store. Many restaurants will sell their secret recipe for chili to you. One thing chili recipes are famous for is the “secret ingredient.” Popular secret ingredients are beer, chocolate, cinnamon, peanut butter, coffee, pickle juice, or anchovies.
There is even an International Chili Society that will answer all your questions about chili. They will also steer you towards the chili contests if you are sure that your recipe is a prize winner. For many chili isn’t a dish it is a way of life and they will go around the United States every year doing the chili circuit.
Everyone who has ever made chili seems to have a chili story. This is mine. A few years ago I was in an on-line recipe sharing group and we were sharing our chili recipes. I put mine up and the next day we got a reply from one of the more, shall we say, difficult members. He said: “I’m from Texas and we don’t put beans in our chili!” Not wanting to get into another on-line battle like this member was famous for I sent this back as a reply, “I’m from the North. We won the war and we do.” We never heard from him again.
Chili is a great dish no matter what style you use. Go ahead and try a typical Texan recipe (if you can find two Texans who will agree), or see how Cincinnati serves it five ways, or go vegetarian, or go green with one of the chili verde. You can go northern and use beans or southern and leave them out. Make five alarm chili or go wimpy. Chili is whatever you want it to be. These are a few of the way that I do chili.
Let me know your favorite chili recipe.
Out of This World Chili
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
29 ounces no salt added stewed tomatoes -- drained and diced
31 ounces low sodium kidney beans, canned -- drained
4 ounces green chilies -- drained and diced
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
1 large onion -- finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves -- minced
1 large green bell pepper -- seeded and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces four-cheese Mexican-style shredded cheese
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add meat, onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook until meat is browned on all sides and vegetables are softened. Drain.
Add rest of ingredients except kidney beans and cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for two hours stirring every fifteen minutes.
Add kidney beans. Uncover and simmer for two more hours, again stirring every 15 minutes.
Serve with cheese sprinkled over top.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 431 Calories; 14g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 78mg Cholesterol; 470mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Crockpot Chili Con Carne
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound ground beef, extra lean
1 medium onion -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
32 ounces low sodium kidney beans, canned -- drained
14 1/2 ounces canned tomatoes with jalapenos -- drained
4 ounces diced green chilies -- drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
In crockpot, combine meat with the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 277 Calories; 10g Fat (36.4% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 230mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Quick Chili Soup
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
14 1/2 ounces no salt added stewed tomatoes -- drained and diced
10 3/4 ounces onion soup, condensed
2 cans water
16 ounces fat-free refried beans
16 ounces low sodium kidney beans, canned -- drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients together. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Turn heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 127 Calories; 1g Fat (6.7% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 574mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat.
Chili Soup
Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 10
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
14 1/2 ounces no salt added stewed tomatoes -- drained and diced
32 ounces low sodium beef broth
1 small onion -- diced small
16 ounces fat-free refried beans
16 ounces low sodium kidney beans, canned -- drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound extra lean ground beef
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces diced green chilies
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 ounces no salt added tomato paste
Brown the ground beef in a saucepan. Drain fat.
Add rest of ingredients and heat to boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
You can put everything in a crockpot and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours. You don't have to brown the meat first.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 242 Calories; 8g Fat (30.2% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 405mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.