by Heidi Khalil, April 17, 2022
Chili is my all time favorite, one-pot meal. It can be as healthy or as rich as you dare to make it, and the variations are endless. Living in the Mid-west for over thirty years has given me a respectful love for chili. There are literally hundreds of recipes. If you can think it, you can make it work with chili. It definitely crosses over land boundaries and continents. Chili is also an awesome meal for a family, big or small. It can really warm you up on a chilly or cold day. CLICK HERE for skin care products
I have witnessed and also been a part of chili contests. My personal favorite type of chili contests to attend is when the men are doing the cooking. It is very entertaining, and YOU NEVER KNOW WHICH CONCOCTION OF CHILI WILL BE THE VICTOR!
So, I decided to create 2 lists. The first list will be some of the chilis that I have had first hand experience with. The second list is my summation of my 5 favorite types of chili.
Chili I have eaten:
- Red Bean Chili w/ground beef or wild meat, such as deer, bison
- White Chili w/chicken breasts & white navy beans, with white pepper included
- Garbanzo Bean Chili w/ground beef
- Black eyed pea & dumpling chili, with chicken (my father’s own creation)
- Texas style, 3-meat chili (no beans) with sour cream
- Black bean chili w/ground beef, corn, chipotle peppers and corn
- Barbeque Chili with ground beef, and any type of beans that you enjoy with BBQ
- Cow tongue Chili with pinto beans and pablano peppers
- Mexican Chili…ground beef, peppers, beans, topped with shredded cheese and fritos
- Pinto Bean Chili with beef sausage
- Lentil chili, with stewed beef or goat
Chili doesn’t have to be full of acid or hot peppers. Chili can be very comforting to the stomach…a real hearty meal, or full of fire. It’s completely up to you. Recently I made a batch of it with black beans, ground beef, cumin, coriander, curry and basmati rice, and some mild salsa…just to name some of my ingredients.
Chili has often been given a bad reputation. I have gotten chili from restaurants over the years. I always regret it, and won’t be doing that again! I have experienced the infamous “burp up”, the stomach ache from the bottomless pit, the “flaming exit” of the chili from my body…. and when I was 16, I worked at a very famous retail store with a snack bar. They served many items, which included chili, and a baked potato with chili on top. The supervisor would add the old coffee from the day before to the chili pot to make it more fluid. Thousands and thousands of people ate that chili. By the time the onions and hot liquid cheese were placed on top, no one could put their finger on why the chili was different. YUK! Chili doesn’t even need to be acidic or spicy either……AND I NEVER MAKE CHILI WITH BEANS FROM A CAN! I REALLY PREFER TO KEEP MY FEET ON THE GROUND!
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Chili is a work of art. You can cook up a stir fry with ground meat, onions, green peppers, garlic, salt and a little bit of finely chopped spicy/chili pepper. I like to pre-cook my dry beans in my Instant Pot, with chopped onions, salt and cumin. You don’t even have to pre-soak your beans when you do this. You can go from “dried beans to fully cooked” in 15-60 minutes(depending on the type of bean). When both pots are done, I transfer them into a big pot that has plenty of room so that it does not boil over. I put in the stir fry first, then the beans. After that I add my frozen garden tomatoes or sauce. I actually just roughly cut them up in the big pot once they were fully cooked & soft. Then, I add the bean water little by little until my desired amount of liquid is reached. The simmering can finally begin. It needs to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until it is just right. I often add a little apple cider vinegar for tang. I taste and re-taste, until I have it right where I want it. Sometimes I add freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the ACV. If you have concentrated lemon juice from the grocery store, try it first by itself. If the taste reminds you of cleaning fluid, try a more upscale brand to get more of an authentic taste. IT REALLY CAN RUIN THE ENTIRE TASTE OF YOUR CHILI POT. Often times, I will add a small amount of olive oil after the chili is completed and stir it in with freshly pressed garlic. This adds a gourmet flavor, that seems to put a nice finish on the chili.
My favorite types of chili are….drum roll please……
- Black bean chili, with ground beef/deer/goat (your choice) and corn, with canned chipotle peppers
- White Chili, with Chicken breasts, white navy beans and yellow or green spicy peppers
- Red Bean Chili with curry, coriander, cumin, green peppers, ground beef, onions and more
There are UNLIMITED chili recipes. Don’t be afraid to step out and try something new. Chili can be so amazing. Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Bon appetit! CLICK HERE FOR SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
MHP:hk
Mighty Hand Publishing 
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