Saturday, September 2, 2017

Mom's chili, My chili, Your chili.... I love them all

This post is full of links and recipes.



First, let's agree that chili is universal... and delicious in all its many forms. My personal go-to is Goal Post Chili, the one I have down to 20 minutes from frozen burger (two 6 minute spells in the microwave...) and cans to simmering, ready for company.

1 1/2 # hamburger browned and drained.
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 large can tomato juice
4 cans chili beans, undrained
2 T. chili powder
1/2 T. cumin
1 T beef bullion
salt to taste
1/2 t. pepper
3 T. ketchup
maybe water, depends
2 T. brown sugar (optional) not really an option if you ask me...
Mix and heat completely. Simmer if you have time. Adjust to your taste


For many years I was very blessed to be the go-to house for the guys my son hung out with...  I still maintain a few here and there and one dedicated friend for, I hope, forever. This chili, tater tot casserole, and brownies made quite a few appearances!



This Christmas I began to make Pioneer Woman's chili, a real meaty hit with the guys.



Today I tried my best to create my mom's chili from my childhood. I think I decided to go out and greet the Autumn. recreating Mom's chili is very hard without quarts of home cold-packed tomatoes...  or the ever beloved End of the garden Relish I so adore. My mother's chili had pieces of  stewed tomato in it, which is a big no-no for some. However, I love it.  I remember one of my students complaining about bits of tomatoes in chili at a school dinner. "What are those? Guts?" the cheerleader cried. Oh, Lordy.


Mom used a couple different kinds of beans, probably because she grabbed what we had in that little tin pantry Daddy brought home from the curb outside some shop in town. (I do love me a good junk haul the night before the garbage trucks run!) And her chili was thin. She always called it "chili soup." I drew the line on the little one-inch pieces of spaghetti she sometimes threw in to fill it out. As many times as I will be reheating this I made today, those would be mush!




Mom's Chili (almost)


In a huge pan...

3 # browned hamburger (drain if it needs it.)
1 can chili beans with juices
1 can black beans (or another kind) with juices
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can whole tomatoes (squish the tomatoes quite a bit with a fork or your fingers)
1 can tomato sauce
1 T. garlic minced
2 c. water
1/2 cup ketchup (for brightening, according to Mama)
1/4 cup sorghum molasses
1/4 cup real maple syrup (Mom's preference was Indiana maple)
1/4 cup sugar (yes. it is almost like a sweet chili sauce if you add all these sweets
) I probably add more.
3 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. garlic powder

Simmer one hour or more, stirring often. Adjust flavors. Add more water or tomato juice if you have room in pan.

Whimsy and Hugs!

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