SMOKY HOMESTYLE CHILI

Today was declared snow day in my part of Texas! Yay, yippee! Except there really was no snow! No snow to jump around or make snow angels in! Some of you who are experiencing severely cold temps are like: YOU ARE CRAZY FOR WANTING SNOW. And some of you are experiencing temperatures that would blow the lid off a thermometer and are just wishing for an ice cube to cool things down!

I should let you know that snow is not really a prerequisite in declaring ‘snow day’ here! As long as there’s a slight possibility that water may fall from the sky. And the temperature may or may not graze the mid thirties (close to freezing, just not quite there), snow day is declared.

Well then, I’m just going to use this as an excuse to make homestyle chili, drink lots of hot cocoa and cuddle up on the couch and read a good book, anyway! Don’t mind if I do!

We’re gonna start by sweating some veggies! Onions, red peppers and JALAPEÑOS!! We’re kickin’ the heat up a notch! Leave the seeds and ribs out of the jalapeño if you don’t want it to be too spicy! Once they cook down a bit, add the garlic and the beef and continue to cook for another 6 – 8 minutes.

Add the spices. The tomato sauce. The fire roasted tomatoes. The coffee. And the cocoa. Yup, coffee and cocoa. You read that right! That’s what’s going to give this chili that super unique, smoke-like flavor! Just hold off on the beans! They go in for the last 30 minutes of cooking!

This is going to make some bellies super happy! =)

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