Texas Chili on a Wintry Day

I made chili for the first time the other night! I wasn't sure what type of chili to make so I used a recipe from a cookbook that is fail proof-- everything I have made from this cookbook has been delicious! It's called a Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford. Brandon and I received it as a wedding gift (I can't remember who gave it to us but I am grateful forever). Most of the recipes I post in this blog will probably come from this cookbook.

Here's the recipe:
1 Tbsp bacon grease or vegetable oil
2 Medium yellow onions, chopped
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb ground beef chuck
1 lb italian sausage links, removed from casings and crumbled
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes with puree
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) barbecued baked beans, drained
1 Tbsp minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus more as needed

Heat the bacon grease in an 8-quart heavy bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and stir until the spices are well combined. Add the ground chuck, sausage, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the meat, stirring frequently, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings with more kosher salt or chipotle chiles if necessary. Serve it up with any of the fixin's below.

Fixin's:
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
chopped green onion
sour cream
crumbled corn chips
red pepper flakes
chopped jalapeno chiles

We didn't use all the fixin's but it tasted great with corn chips and cheese :) Nothing like a bowl of chili on a cold and snowy day. Enjoy!

The chili tasted even better the second day by the way. We also gave some to our neighbors and froze some-- so be prepared to have lots of chili! :)