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During his life, BISMOW's grandfather was a head chef at a well known upscale hotel in downtown Detroit. BISMOW & I still cook with his knives, a hodge-podge assortment that he picked out over the years.  Supplemented with a few Wusthof purchases, BISMOW and I love our knife collection, even if they don't all match. We sharpen them and hand wash them and they all work great- even the ones from the 1960's that were responsible for fine dishes coming out of the hotel kitchen. 

Grandpa BISMOW left behind a chili recipe that I find scrumptious. Today in Chicago it is cool and rainy, the perfect day for chili. I serve my chili with a side of cornbread (Jiffy's mix made with 2% milk not skim), and bowls of chopped green onions, grated cheddar cheese (grate it yourself!!) and sour cream. BISMOW prefers his sprinkled with Goldfish crackers, so I typically have a bowl of those as well. I love this recipe because it makes so much, so I typically freeze half the batch for unexpected company or a night that I just don't feel like cooking. 

3 lbs ground round or sirloin (I prefer to buy organic grassfed beef for the health factor....ground turkey works well to, or even a half/half mixture of beef and turkey) 

2 yellow onions chopped fine

4 stalks of celery chopped fine

2 green peppers chopped fine

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

2 tbsp chili powder

4 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp paprika

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 tsp parsley flakes

3 tbsp flour

1 large can of tomatoes chopped fine

1 80z can of tomato sauce

2 cans Brooks chili beans mild

2 cans Brooks chili beans hot 

(You might add more spices as you go, so make sure you have extras....and if you like spicier chili, use all 4 cans of Brooks chili beans "hot") 

Split meat & veggies equally into 3 "batches" and then braise each batch of meat, onions, celery and peppers until veggies become translucent. Drain each batch well and transfer to a large stock pot. Over medium heat, mix all the meat & veggies together and then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Add your spices & mix well. Bring mixture to a boil and then remove from heat & stir in flour.  Add the beans and then transfer to a 300 degree oven and cook for several hours. (Um, typically 3-4?).  If mixture becomes too thick, add a little bit of water. If too thin, add a few more tablespoons of flour. Taste periodically & adjust spices as needed. Typically I end up adding a bit more chili powder and salt. 

Serve! 

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