Melanies Chili Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until just browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until coated and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cooked ground beef and any accumulated liquid, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chili, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the beans and their liquid and simmer uncovered until the beans are softened and the chili is thickened, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with sour cream, Cheddar and scallions. Serve with tortilla chips.

Steps:

• Heat a large stock pot to mediumheat with Olive Oil. Add Onion and Peppers. Season with a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook until softened - about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Chicken. Season with a pinch of Salt and Pepper. Cook until white, and cooked through. About 3-4 minutes.
• Add the Tomatoes, Beans, Garlic, and Corn. Season with Salt and Pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add all of the spices and the Adobo Sauce.
• Add Chicken Stock. You may want more or less chicken stock depending on your desired consistency. I like mine fairly thick. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer. Simmer for about 30-60 minutes -- all up to you -- the longer and lower temperature the better.
• Add Corn Meal and Cheese to thicken a little at a time. Stir rapidly to avoid lumps. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so. You may need to add more corn meal and/or cheese to obtain your desired thickness.
• Check for seasoning -- you may want to add more salt and pepper to fit your taste. Also, add more Cayenne or Chili Powder for heat and depth.
• Once the desired thickness and seasoning is achieved, the chili is technically ready to serve. I often like to turn the heat down to low and cook longer -- anywhere from 15 minutes to hours. This continues to intensify the flavors and thicken the Chili.
• Serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, scallions, cheddar cheese, and a spoonful of sour cream. Fresh corn tortillas, cornbread, and garlic-jalapeno focaccia bread go well with this also
• You can vary this in any way - often I'll use shredded rotisserie chicken or different types of beans. Also, you can omit the tomatoes, adobo sauce and red powders all together and use roasted, seeded and peeled green chiles. If you like more of that east coat/midwestern style chili use ground chicken or turkey and add some tomato paste instead of the cheese/cornmeal to thicken. You can also omit the meat altogether and add extra beans & vegetables.
• This recipe also works well in the crock pot left cooking all day using dried & soaked beans - I like the health benefits of this myself.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the beef and onion and saute until meat is browned and onion is tender. Add the stewed tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, beans and water.
• Season with the chili powder, garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.