Simple Chili


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  3               cans  Beans (kidney,  garbonzo, black, red, etc.) *
  2               cans  Diced or Whole Tomatoes (canned and unflavored) *
  1                can  Corn
  1              pound  Meat (ground beef or chicken or steak)
  1                     Onion -- chopped
  2             cloves  Garlic -- minced
                        Chili powder *
                        Salt and Pepper *
                        Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  1                     Chipotle chile canned in adobo -- minced
  1                     Ham Hocks
                        Corn Meal
                        	

Sautee the ham hock, garlic, and onion for 5 minutes before putting in the ground beef (or other meat). Season the meat before cooking with salt and pepper and a little chili powder if desired. Cook until done.

If there's a lot of grease, drain most of the grease from cooking the beef. Leave enough in for flavor (personal preference).

Sprinkle some corn meal on the mixture, then pour in all the canned ingredients. Add the rest of the seasonings to taste. Make sure to slowly add in the chili powder until it reaches the right spicyness. Add other spices as desired.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium. Let cook for as long as you can wait.

Serve with cooked rice, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Description:
  "This recipe changes depending on my mood, what's in the cabinet, and how much I need to make. The starred items are required, and the rest are optional. However, a chili with just the four starred ingredients will taste fairly bland."
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 394 Calories; 20g Fat (44.5% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 107mg Cholesterol; 170mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

Serving Ideas : This goes really well with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream mixed in. Add tortilla or corn chips if you want a bit of crunch!

NOTES : This is not a hard and fast recipe. Add and remove whatever ingredients you like. The starred items are required, and the rest are optional. However, a chili with just the four starred ingredients will taste fairly bland. This is such a difficult meal to mess up. Just make sure to add the chili powder slowly, especially if you're sensitive to spicy foods. You can't remove the spice once it's there!!