Valentine's Day Will Be A Little Chili Here

At work, as part of my duties, I run the potlucks. With layoffs, infighting, pay cuts, the constant threat of firings, coworkers disappearing daily - escorted out by security guards seconds after they learn their job was just dissolved, and the incredible arrogance of upper management, no one is in the mood for a potluck, and some of us can hardly afford it. I spoke against having any potlucks until things settled down and the price of oil went up, and for that, I got saddled with them.

I often have to make the main dish, and for Valentines I'm featuring chili. If someone is low on love, it might give them a burning feeling in the heart region and let them at least participate that way in the celebration of romantic love.

I don't eat meat, but the chili will have meat, or there would be complaints. It's a good recipe. Sometimes it's better than others, and I can't quite figure that out, since I try to make it the same way each time.

 It's a small package of stew meat, seared; a small package of ground turkey, cooked; and a small package of hamburger, cooked. Then a large onion is chopped and cooked in the leftover grease. 

Now the meats and onion go into a bowl, and a big-sized can of diced tomatoes goes in (fire-roasted). A tablespoon of tomato paste is added, too.

To that drained, rinsed cans of cannelli beans (white kidney beans) and black beans are added and mixed in (one each of normal-sized cans).

Since I'm feeding a crowd, I add in an extra can of beans and diced tomatoes (regular cans). Then I add in two packets of chili seasoning, a few shakes of Worchestershire, and the "prize" ingredients, a tablespoon of New Mexico red chile powder, a tablespoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon of smoked paparika, a quarter cup of strong black coffee, and a teaspoon of cocoa powder.

Then it all commingles on low in the crock pot for seven hours. I serve it with Fritos. I guess it's really just that Texas favorite, Frito Pie.

Here's hoping your Tuesday is going well!