Well I told my husband the world must be ending when the Cards made the Superbowl. In all honesty, though, I'm pumped. For the first time in my life, when I go out I see Cardinals shirts every where! Someone in my neighborhood even made a Cards mailbox.
We're going to our favorite Superbowl party this year at an old family friends'. They've hosted one my whole life and it'll be the first time in five years we've made it, thanks to living out of state and last years flu! Between that length of anticipation and the local boys playing in it, I think this is the most excited I've ever been for a Superbowl. There's no point in pretending, I don't like football at all. I'm always up for a good party, though, and the Dolan's are amazing cooks. They even have two adorable dogs to keep my little guy entertained. So while I'm (happily) only bringing cookies tomorrow, I know this chili would totally hit the spot for girls and guys alike. I love that I have almost all of the ingredients in my pantry at any given time, which is especially important if your Costco looks anything like mine did this afternoon. I was there just to buy Turbo Tax for my smarty pants husband who can't wait to do our taxes and oh boy, I should have waited until Monday! Go Cards!Smitten Chili
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen (from Real Simple Magazine)
I've made this several times and I think I got the flavors down just right for my family this time. I used a little less chili powder and added a touch of brown sugar for the molasses flavor. It was a hit.
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or turkey, if you don't have a husband like mine who would never forgive you)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
2 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 can green chilies
2 15 1/2-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
To taste:
Sriracha chili sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne
1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle en adobo puree
Toppings and sides:
Sharp Cheddar
Sour cream
Minced jalapeno
Corn bread
Place a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 or 10 minutes. Add the onion, stirring well, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Gradually add the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, cocoa, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilies. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans, salt, and vinegar, stirring well. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more. Adjust flavor with your spices of choice. Stir in the frozen corn and garnish with the cilantro, Cheddar, sour cream, and jalapeno, if desired. Serve hot in a bread bowl or with cornbread. ♦
