Mike, Gina & Zoe's Home Cookin' Episode 9: Cincinnati Chili

My name is Zoe.

I'm originally from Valrico, Florida. Today's recipe comes from Ohio.

Cincinnati, Ohio to be precise.

Cincinnati Chili Story

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. of Ground Beef or Ground Turkey if you want a lighter version.

Chili Powder

Allspice

Cinnamon

Cumin

Salt

Cayenne

Cocoa Powder Unsweetened

Apple Cider Vinegar

2 small to medium Vidalia Onions 

Worcestershire 

Canned Crushed Tomatoes 

Garlic Paste

Searching through The Large Hairy one's internet history, I found an abnormal amount of stops on this article...

Skyline Chili Coming to Lakewood Ranch

among other things...

Brown 2 lbs. of Ground Beef in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Cut 2 small to medium Vidalia onions into chunks and add.

Add 2 tablespoons Chili Powder.

Add 2 teaspoons Allspice.

Add 2 teaspoons Cinnamon.

Add 2 teaspoons Cumin.

Add 1 teaspoon Cayenne.

Add 3 tablespoons Cocoa Powder Unsweetened.

Add 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar.

Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire. 

Add 1 28 ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes.

Add 1 cup of Water to the can, swirl and add. You could substitute 1 cup of stock if you so desire.

Add 1 tablespoon of Garlic Paste.

Mix everything well and let simmer.

This is one of those dishes that gets better throughout the week. There are many complex flavors that benefit from being reheated multiple times. It's also a versatile dish. You could serve it over a large baked potato with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. Scallions are always a nice addition if you go that route. You could make Chili Cheese Dogs or Chili Cheeseburgers. You could serve it over spiralized zucchini noodles or a portobello mushroom. 

If you sub out the ground beef or ground turkey with red kidney beans, you could make it a Vegetarian dish. 

I am quite content with my Hill's Science Diet and an occasional handful of Feline Greenies Smart Bites, but hoomans need variety in their diet. 

This is The Large Hairy One's favorite presentation. Cook spaghetti noodles in boiled and salted water for 8 minutes, add Cincinnati Chili and a fistful of shredded cheese. I believe it is traditional to have some diced raw onions on top, but as I sit downwind of him and raw onions fill him with gas like the Hindenburg, this is not the best option for us. 

The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes. It gets better through the week. It's versatile. It's also relatively inexpensive, provided you have a well stocked spice cabinet. 

Winner, winner chili dinner.

Enjoy!