When I hear the word “Chili” I instantly think of a HUGE pot of beefy goodness that can last for a few days. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 4th meal!

“Chili” also reminds me of the time I’ll gain for a few days to regroup because, there will be leftovers. Scratch off cooking for a couple of days and all of a sudden my house is cleaned, errands that I procrastinated are complete, extra time with my family, and laundry is folded… ok no, those are still there, lol. You get my drift though right?

The options for a chili are incredible! Put it on top of anything and all of a sudden something plain becomes a MIRACLE! Isn’t that how the famous coney dogs happened? genius!

One time I felt so cool and knowledgeable because I was watching a movie called “Labor Day” starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. In one of the scenes Josh Brolin is putting together a meal from the findings of some beef in the fridge. He then uses some cans of tomatoes, tomatoes sauce, and then he added…dum dum dum Coffee! That revealed everything to me. I shouted in excitement, “Chili!”

Adding coffee really does kick it up a notch. Corn masa at the very end to give me a thicker consistency is our family tradition. Also the variety of beans give the chili a lot of personality. The recipe doesn’t hold back on chili powder either. Lots of chili powder is key to a strong chili flavor!

Chili is made pretty often in my household. I get creative with other embellishments to make the flavors different. Roasted tomatoes one day, a sprinkle of cocoa powder another day, or even to kick it up the spice you can get creative with cajun spice, red pepper flakes, or diced jalapeños.

When I make a pot of delicious chili, it is anything but little! My family eats it up like our lives depend on it. I load mine with crackers or sometimes I switch it up with cheese, some sour cream, and in the past a little mustard. 

Chili can be the best thing ever over a long winter. Keep in mind, I don’t choose to limit chili to the winter because this recipe is so darn delicious. I make it year round and freeze it for topping hot dogs, burritos, french fries and all sorts of things instead of as a soup.

Ingredients 

3- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 pounds ground beef

salt, divided

ground pepper, divided

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, chopped finely

1/3 cup chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning or cocoa powder (Optional)

6 oz can (4 tablespoons) tomato paste

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (Roasted, or seasoned)

32 oz (4 cups) low-sodium beef broth

1 25-ounce can black beans, drained

1 25-ounce can kidney beans, drained

1 cup brewed coffee or espresso

2-3 Tablespoons Corn masa (optional)

Directions

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Skillet over medium heat

2. Add the onions, garlic, and red peppers. cook until soft, then transfer to a bowl

3. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add more oil to the skillet

4. Next add beef to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat and then discard the juice from the skillet

5. Add the cooked onions, garlic, and red peppers to the cooked and drained beef skillet    

6. Add 1/3 cup chili powder, oregano, cajun seasoning or cocoa powder (optional), and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about a minute

7. Pour everything from the skillet into a large pot and stir in the tomatoes with their juices, broth, coffee, and beans

8. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for about 2 hours

9. Once you remove from heat, add the corn masa (optional) and stir, let that sit for 5 min. This will help thicken up the chili. If you prefer a thinner soup, skip this step

*Topping Extras: Crackers, Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, mustard, etc.