Chili for the Chilly

Chili is good when it's cold. There's something instantly warming when hot spices hit the stomach, like jump-starting a furnace. I even put cayenne into my boots to keep my feet warm in the winter. Here's a simple quick chili con carne recipe, followed by my late brother's chili powder mix recipe that won 2nd place one year in the Denver Chili Cookoff.

(note- Chili heat is a personal taste; I like it hotter than most folks, so add 3 types of hot chilis to the powder I make. But most people like it milder.)

1 lb. good burger
1 onion, diced
1 16 oz. jar salsa (mild, medium or hot, to your liking- I use medium)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 16 oz cans beans (kidney, northern, black, etc.)
2 Tblsp-1/4 c. chili powder mix (according to your liking)
dash or more good hot sauce (again, to your heat liking)

Brown burger in large stewpot, add onion and cook until translucent.
Deglaze with salsa and stir well. Add all remaining ingredients and cook on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with cornbread, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and sour cream.

.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow Bear's Chili Powder
3 types hot chilis (jalapeno, ancho. guadajillo, etc.), ground fine in a mortar and pestle or food processor
Add:
paprika
garlic powder
cinnamon
coriander
cumin
turmeric
parsley
oregano
cayenne
- in roughly the same amounts (I use a tablespoon of each). Store in a tightly lidded glass jar. For a mild mix, eliminate the 3 hot chilis