Heidi Rogers Chili Recipes

SIMPLE, PERFECT CHILI

Steps:

• Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.
• After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

HEIDI'S FAMOUS CHILI

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in a little oil or water, add onions.
• Add chili powder and RO-TEL diced tomatoes/chiles, stir and heat for several minutes.
• Add HOT chili beans (I use Brooks' Hot Chili Beans but you can use whatever brand is available--if you aren't "into" hot, you can try any style of chili beans). I rinse the cans and add 1/2 a can (1/2 cup) of water per can of beans so there's extra water for noodles. If you're not using noodles, don't add the water.
• After this mixture has heated, I add the 2 large cans of tomatoes, juice and all. Simmer. Add the 2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate--it adds an extra dimension to the flavor of the tomatoes.
• When this is near-boiling, add noodles if you're going to. Simmer until these are done.
• Taste-test--you can add more chili powder if you like it really spicy.
• Remove from heat for 5-10 minutes and let rest. Stir once more before serving. It should have a nice, thick texture, not too runny. Makes 10 hearty servings, holds its flavor for leftovers.
• Serve with cornbread muffins, mexican cheese or mild cheddar, sour cream, and oyster crackers.
• Everytime I make this, I try to improve it. The recipe is a work in progress! Last night I added some garlic powder to the mix and it was quite good. I've added vermouth at times, tequila, beer (not so crazy about this), stewed whole tomatoes instead of diced (use 3 cans of whole tomatoes), and green peppers if they're available. It's all a matter of taste.
• Enjoy!

THE BEST CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until just browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until coated and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cooked ground beef and any accumulated liquid, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chili, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the beans and their liquid and simmer uncovered until the beans are softened and the chili is thickened, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with sour cream, Cheddar and scallions. Serve with tortilla chips.

CLASSIC CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or large soup kettle, saute green pepper, onions and celery in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned; drain. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add kidney beans. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes longer. If desired, serve with tortilla chips.

EASY HOMEMADE CHILI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the beef and onion and saute until meat is browned and onion is tender. Add the stewed tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, beans and water.
• Season with the chili powder, garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.