You may have wondered what happened to me. Well, I finally decided to quit putting off the long delayed left knee total replacement.  I had the operation on January 7. (When it is real painful--I wonder where my head was, deciding to have it done!)  I fully intended to get some blogs off before the operation, but with Christmas and New Years events, I got "jammed up".

I don't know if  you are a football fan or not.  But anyhow--you don't even need to like football to like chili.  Actually, I think chili is just yummy and fun all year long and makes for a great party dish.  And it is especially yummy on cold winter nights.

Chili is probably the most controversial dish there is--with more contests and avid fans coast to coast than any other food I can think of.   And chili is totally an American dish.

Chili con carne, as we know it today, has several histories--but most agree that it got its popularity with the cattle drives.  One of the great features of chili is that it actually improves with reheating...perfect for those brave men who drove cattle north out of Mexico or southern US to the head of the railroad in Dodge City, Kansas.

The cookies who cooked the trail would cook what each considered enough to feed the cowboys for the drive--eating it three times a day.  However, many times the pot would grow "thin" as they crossed Oklahoma, with a few days to go before "Dodge"--so that is how beans and tomatoes got into chili--to stretch it out to finish feeding the cowboys until the end of the trail.

To allow you to stock up on our pure 2024 crop of chilies, I am placing our popular hot and mild red chiles on a 25%  off sale.  

And, if you want to have loads of fun cooking all manner of chilis--many of them award winning--I am placing my 2nd edition of my best selling "Chili Madness" on sale, autographed, at just $10.00 plus shipping and handling.

Also, sign up now to get in our famous June 10 - 16 Culinary Tour.

Here's a couple of favorite chili recipes.  The Bowl of Red is credited with being the "original chili".

BOWL O’ RED - Classic Chili Recipe

The influence behind this chili recipe came from my maternal grandfather, who when working with the Santa Fe Railroad learned how to prepare it from the “cookies,” or trail cooks.  It has won numerous chili cook-offs and is one of the really true original chilis.

2 Tablespoons shortening, preferably solid shortening such as lard or butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 medium-size garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup ground hot chile or to taste
¼ cup ground mild chile
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
About 3 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
 
1. Heat lard in a large heavy pot over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened.  Remove from heat.

2. Add meat, garlic, ground chiles and cumin to pot.  Break up any lumps.  Stir in the water and salt.  Return to heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 2-1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the flavors are well blended.  Add more water if necessary.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

3.    Serve with fixin’s ‘n mixins’ of coarsely grated cheeses, pickled jalapenos, chopped onion and sour cream with lime wedges garnished with a “ruffle” of red chile.

Jane's Southwest Recipes and more great ideas for cooking with chiles.

GREEN CHILE CHICKIE VEGGIE CHILI

This chili has a wonderful flavor bordering a gumbo without the okra or the file.  I made it the first time from the end of the garden vegetables, of which I had considerable.  If you want to double up on some of the vegetables, omitting some and even adding  others, it will still be very good!

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large, whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in ¾ inch dice
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced ¼ inch wide
2 cups green chile, cut in ½ inch width-wise pieces (8 to 10 green chiles, parached and peeled) or canned or frozen
6 ripe large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 apple chicken (or similar) sausages, sliced
2 cups whole kernel corn (2 to 3 ears fresh, canned or frozen)
1 stalk broccoli, chopped
1, 15 ounce can or 2 cups black beans
2 cups sliced and chopped cabbage, about ½ small head
2 large carrots, sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
2 cups chicken stock

1. Heat the oil in a large pot, at least 5 quart.  Add the chicken pieces and lightly brown, then add the onion and garlic and cook until clear.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook on a medium low heat, covered for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are done.
 
2. If the chili is thicker than desired, add water to desired consistency and cook for about five minutes.   Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with hard crusted bread with olive oil or butter.