When the day gets chilly, welp, make some....!
Last night, while sporting the blahsies from a late night of pint imbibing over Halloween (of which I was Wendy Thomas of the famous burger chain, and gave out double stack cheeseburgers from said burger chain all night, and my good friend Esteban Miguel came along as a Priest, and beautifully posed while drinking trappist monk ales), I decided it was necessary to cook up a hearty dish that would get me through the evening and sit well in the fridge for a few meals this week.And so, I decided to cook up my Mum's famous chili recipe, which I was always so pleased when she made growing up, ususally as "game food" for a Sunday of sports watching, the religion of the Wolf clan. It is hearty but not over the top and isn't a heavy chili, with a nice light tomato broth of sorts perfect for adding lots of cheddar cheese and dipping corn chips. I like to eat mine with Fritos because my Dad loved to show me how to make a "Frito Pie", which basically consisted of heading to the local Mom and Pop, buying an individual bag of Fritos, opening it up, dumping a heaping lot of the store's Chili (which has been sitting on a hot plate, most likely, for days, months, on end) in the bag, and viola! eating with a spoon!It's a delicious way to give Chili a whirl, but when you're at home, perhaps Fritos on the side is just the way to go.So here's the recipe for my nostalgic chili. Let me know if you try it!Mum Char's Famous Chili!Ingredients1-2 cans of Hunts Whole Tomatos (depending on how much chili or broth you desire)About 1 pound of Ground Chuck3-4 Stalks of Celery, dicedHalf an onion, diced1 can or 2 cups Pinto Beans (if I use canned ones, I like Goya's brand, and ALWAYS rinse them in cold water for a few minutes)Red Hot Mexican Chili PowderGarlic PowderSalt, Pepper to tasteShredded Cheddar Cheese (if desired)Fritos or Corn Chips (if desired)To MakeIn large pot, sautee onion and celery in a splash of olive oil, until tender or onions are clear, about 5 to 8 minutes. In large skillet, sautee ground hamburg, breaking it up into small chunks with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. (Note, it doesn't matter if you cook the meat all the way through--it will finish cooking in the pot with the rest of the chili, so fear not). Drain off excess fat from the beef and add to the onions and celery. Dump the Whole tomatoes into the pot, being sure to crush the tomatoes as much as you desire with the back of the spoon. Add several shakes of garlic powder and chili powder, salt and pepper, depending on how chili-tasting you like your chili and how garlicky. I like a medium kick. Add water if the chili looks like its losing stock as its being cooked. Add pinto beans, simmer for an hour so flavors can work.Ladle Chili into bowls, add cheddar cheese on top and chips on the side. Eat, enjoy. Swoon.
