Terminal Gravity Brewery

Terminal Gravity Brewery in Enterprise, OR. Capped off our Eagle Cap trip with a little sippy and munchy. Ahhh...

Chili!

Chili is great on the fall menu, and winter, too. Tomatoes have been abundant in our garden in the past weeks (the end of September, beginning of October), and we'll hopefully be able to encourage one last harvest to ripen on the vine before it succumbs to cold weather (we had our first snow last Thursday, Oct. 9!). We've had a few peppers, too, and onions and dry beans have been available at the Farmers' Market. I use ground turkey in my chili; avid hunters could spruce up their bowl with wild bird, too. Corn is also available at market for the soup or a side of bread.


I grew up with a Betty Crocker chili recipe, Chili con Carne, with a twist of Tabasco ("to taste") when Dad cooked. This is still a favorite.

Chili con Carne

1 lb. ground beef (I use turkey)
2 medium onions, chopped (~1 cup)
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (12 oz.) diced tomatoes (I use those with green chilis)
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 can (15.5 oz.) kidney beans, drained (I often use black beans)

Cook and stir the ground beef, onion, and green pepper in large skillet until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in remaining ingredients except kidney beans. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. (Or cook uncovered, about 45 minutes.) Stir in beans; heat. 4-5 servings.


Another great chili recipe came from friends, Marcy and John Rumelhart, whose kids, Max and Erin, I used to babysit in Metaline Falls. Marcy gave me the recipe at my bridal shower, where everyone pitched in to fill my recipe box (an idea conceived by the Kinney gals). Watch out - this one can get hot!

Matt's Texas Chili

1 lb. beef (I use turkey)
1 medium onion
2 1/2 oz. jalapenos (if you like it hot or leave out if you don't)
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon sugar (I use honey)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 tablespoon cornmeal

Brown beef and drain. Add onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook short time. Add rest of the ingredients except cornmeal. Cook covered 1 hour (if you can), stirring occasionally. Add cornmeal and cook covered 30 minutes or until thickened. Eat with Fritos stirred in! (I forgo the Fritos - there's enough flavor without them!)