Good Eats #3: Chili

I am working on a legit blog post, I promise.  It's just that it's kinda long, and kinda sensitive, and I'm not sure yet if I want to post it or write something happy instead.  So in the in-between time, here's another (sort of) homemade recipe.  I didn't add a picture because, let's face it, chili tastes a lot better than it looks.

Birdie's Durn-Tootin'-Good Chili

1 pound lean ground beef (97/3 if possible, but 96/4 works)
1/2-1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can diced green chilies (or jalapenos, if you're feeling brave)
1 can black beans
1 can seasoned chili beans

1. Brown the beef in a big pot.  Add salt & pepper.  The more health-conscious might drain the delicious, meaty beef juice, but I like to leave it in.
2. Stir in diced onions and cook until they're translucent.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  (Note: be sure to rinse the goop off the black beans first. If you've cooked with black beans before, you know what I'm talking about.)
4. Season to taste*, cover, and simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Enjoy!

*You can be pretty creative here.  I like to use a combination of yellow curry, cinnamon, smoked paprika and a healthy dose of hot sauce.

This is one of my go-to recipes because it's delicious, easy, and freezes beautifully.  It's also incredibly versatile.  Here's a few variations I've come up with:

• Cheesy macaroni & chili
• Chili-egg schmuffin (this is just chili & a scrambled egg on an open-faced English muffin.  You could just as easily use toast or a bagel; I just like saying 'schmuffin'.)
• Chili casserole - put some chili in a baking dish and top with biscuit or corn bread batter.  Bake according to the package directions, or until it's golden-brown on top.
• Frito pie - this is more of a once-in-a-while treat, but boy is it indulgent!  Crunch tortilla chips at the bottom of a baking dish, add chili and top with lots of cheese.  Bake until the cheese gets a little brown on top.

Bon apetit!