It's A Slippery Slope....Chili

This chili is sure to 'warm' you up!

 Let me begin this with, I found a chili recipe in my latest Cook's Country magazine that was a thirty minute chili.  It was in the low 60's and overcast...it just seemed like the thing to do.  October is going to be super busy with lots of guests coming to see these New England leaves of ours, so I am making a push to finish whatever painting I have started.  And this 30 minute dinner, actually appeared to be a legitimate 30 minutes.  Hence, if it was 80 degrees outside, we still might have eaten that chili.  But, I digress...

After 2 cups of chicken stock

So the first couple of steps went as planned.  No surprises.  Although, I do like things a little on the spicy side so, I took it upon the liberty of myself to use 2 T of cumin, instead of their wimpy, 2 t.  Then it said to add the rotel tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil.  I poured in the ingredients and realized that there wasn't much liquid in there to boil.  (you'll only make the mistake to burn beans once in your life...trust me)  So, thinking on my feet (after painting for 9 hours) I grabbed some chicken stock out of the pantry.  I poured in a couple of cups, stirred everything around a bit and then I thought (that's my first mistake), "hmmmm, if I poured in a liquid, then I am diluting the spices and flavors.  I better add more of spices."  I thought maybe a tablespoon of each should do it.

Another cooking lesson that one should only have to learn the hard way once, not to measure the ingredients over what you are cooking.  The chili powder did just fine (probably gave me a boost of cocky confidence) and then came the cumin...  So, I probably added, at least, 2 more tablespoons, but I have no way to be sure because it just sort of plopped in and over my tablespoon.  Oh well, I like it spicy right? So, I stirred it all around and got a spoon to taste it.  Sweet Baby Jesus.  That was spicy.

After half a box more of
chicken stock

Might as well throw it all in...

What do I do next, well, I'll just pour the rest of that box of chicken stock in.  I let it simmer and tasted...nope.  Still too spicy.  Uncomfortable spicy.  I wasn't sure if my taste buds were going to work again, spicy.  So, I grabbed another box of chicken stock and poured in half....and then after tasting, poured in the rest.  This was clearly not working.  And my chili looked more like a bean and tomato soup.  I decided that I definitely needed to let that simmer down a bit and then taste again.  After 30 minutes on a medium high heat, I went back to taste and stir and realized that the kidney beans were starting to dissipate.  I looked in the cabinet and had a can of pinto beans (for those 3 hour taquitos the kids love--see the blog entry "When it is time to abandon wine for tequila") so I rinsed those and threw them in.  I let the chili simmer for 30 more minutes and then thought to myself, "maybe no one will notice how hot this is...."  As I am sure you may already know, wine was involved in that thought process. 

I pureed 4 cups of chili instead of the two they listed, dumped it back in and served.  I could tell from my family's constant sniffling and multiple trips to get water and then milk, that I wasn't fooling anyone.  But they ate...  Taylor, my 18 year old who doesn't beat around the bush said, "So.  That was really spicy.  Maybe you could do that one again without the spice."  I said, "Well, there were some problems."  She said, "That figures.  Are you going to write about this?"  I said, exasperated and rolling my eyes, "Probably."  She said, "write about it AND tell the truth?"  I gave her a look like 'mind your own business'.  As she was leaving the kitchen she said, "You know, we'll all be lucky if we don't  get a massive case of diarrhea from that chili."  And then she peaked her head around the corner and added, "Don't write that."  (Just being truthful, Taylor....)

Cook's Country Oct/Nov 2012

All that to say, my husband loved it....said it could win a chili contest.  I think if the cumin hadn't have went overboard...this would have been absolutely fantastic chili.  Albeit, a 3 bean, 3 hour chili....  I'm going to try it again, for sure.

The ingredients (minus the 2
boxes of chicken stock)