Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Shhhhhh . . . Secret Sauce Chili


Rain, rain go away but if you’re not . . . we are having chili today!


This brings cheers of joy to my family. They love this chili and this chili alone. It is not your average spicy-hot-peppery, salty chili-dog chili but a mildly-spicy, sweet, tangy, addictive concoction. It is a family recipe passed down from Nan.  Too bad its not more complicated.  Here’s the secret. Another Not-So-Martha Good Thing
(I’ve given you an online link to order but I get it at my local grocery store in the condiment aisle. If they don’t carry it-ask them to order it for you.)
It is a vinegar, tangy- sweet sauce that makes this chili unique.  The jar is pretty too!

Nan also has a secret recipe for corn muffins . . .
Love the Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. You can’t go wrong with “America’s Favorite” since 1930. 

These Not-So-Martha Good Thing muffins come out perfectly toasty on the outside and crumbly, soft on the inside.  Drizzled with honey or crumbled in the chili-they are perfect-and you can’t beat the price! In a later post, I’ll share a recipe for Blueberry Muffins using this mix but with homemade flair.

I know, I know. Not very Martha-like but worth it. You’ll like it-maybe even love it. So try it and let me know what you think.

Rainy Day Chili
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
1-2 Tablespoons of chili powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt
1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 jar of Homade Chili Sauce (secret sauce)
1 30 ounce can of dark red kidney beans (undrained)
1 15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans (undrained)
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 Tablespoon of tomato paste

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onions, chili powder, red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until onion is soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 15 seconds until fragrant but not brown.

Add meat and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in the “secret sauce’, beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and another ½ teaspoon of salt Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove lid and continue to simmer until meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Serve with corn muffins, cheese, diced onions, sour cream and whatever else you like on your chili.

You can also serve “Cincinnati style” over pasta.  That’s good too!

4 comments:

  1. Yum, love chili! That sauce sounds and looks great.

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    Replies
    1. You'll love the sauce-you can use it for other things as well-it is great on hamburgers and baked potatoes. :)

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  2. I made this chili, using that sauce. It's fabulous. You'll never need another basic chili recipe again. It's a gift to have the "Homade Chili Sauce" in a jar. Thank you Jen for sharing with the blog followers out there!

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