Some couples want to open a quaint B&B when they retire; me and Kaz want to be judges on the food festival circuit and eat forty different kinds of chili in a two hour span. For real. If you have any connections, give me a shout.

This chili recipe was one of my very first creations, and I haven't changed a thing in four years. We just love it. It's SOOOOO easy, delicious, a great crowd food (kids, teenagers, and adults all go back for more), and nice to freeze for when you don't want to cook. It's not very spicy, but you can certainly amp up the heat by adding cayenne or fresh chilies if you're so inclined.

Not-Too-Spicy-(but can be)-Chili

• 1 lb. of ground turkey or beef (and if you dare, it's suh-lammin' made with bison)
• one big onion, diced
• five or six big cloves of garlic, chopped
• three or four 15-oz. cans of rinsed and drained beans (I usually use one pinto, one dark red kidney, and two black, but anything is great.)
• two 28-oz. cans of crushed tomatoes (or one crushed and one diced)
• a good palmful of chili powder, about 2 tbsp.
• half as much cumin, about 1 tbsp.
• salt and pepper
• a tsp. of cayenne, hot sauce, or a chopped jalapeno if you want to cry

This COULD NOT be easier. In a big pot, heat a drizzle or so of mild oil (canola, vegetable, or grapeseed) over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, break it up with a wooden spoon, and season it well with salt and pepper. While the meat cooks, chop the onion. Once the meat is brown and cooked through, put it on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Unless you want the extra grease; that's your call.

Next, add the onions to that same pan, season well with salt and pepper, and stir. Let those cook down for about four minutes, stirring a couple of times. While the onions cook, chop the garlic, drain and rinse the beans, and open the tomatoes.

Next, add the chopped garlic for about a minute, and be sure to watch it so it doesn't burn. Now add everything else - the beans, tomatoes, cooked meat, spices, and a bit more salt and pepper. Leave the heat where it is, and let it simmer for about half an hour. I usually don't let mine go longer than that because I like the beans to keep their texture and the tomatoes to keep their freshness. 

Now TASTE IT. Make sure it's seasoned well. Add more salt and pepper if it needs it, or you can even add more spice if you like. I've honestly never measured this; it's just second nature at this point, and it will be for you, too. Just go with what you like, and have fun with it. It's great with the typical sour cream and shredded cheese, but I love it with diced avocado. Should I pull out the Holy Guacamole? Yeah, why not. Holy Guacamole!!