It’s Chili Time!
No matter what team they’re rooting for, everyone loves chili
For the main dish at your halftime spread, it’s hard to beat chili. This “stew with a kick” is warm and comforting and comes in many wonderful variations. Chili, or chili con carne as it was originally known, is meat cooked with chilies. Today, you can find even vegetarian chili with no meat, but all versions use some kind of chili as the main seasoning, whether it’s whole chili pods or ground chili powder.
A classic of the American Southwest, there is some controversy over the use of beans and even tomatoes in chili. Some famous versions include one from President Lyndon Johnson. His wife made postcards with the recipe because it was requested so frequently. Another favorite was from Chasen’s in West Hollywood. Many movie stars ate at Chasen’s, and Elizabeth Taylor reportedly craved it and asked for it on set.
Chili is great to serve at parties because it can be made in large quantities ahead of time. It freezes well and some say it tastes better the next day. Making it from scratch means you can control the ingredients and make it just how you like it. Try substituting ground turkey for the beef or using white or pinto beans instead of black or kidney beans. In addition to the typical toppings, consider offering your guests diced avocado, fresh chopped jalapeños, hot sauce and crumbled tortilla chips.
Two tricks to good chili is seasoning it right and cooking the meat gently until it becomes tender. Many cooks use “secret” ingredients to amp up the flavor, such as beer, chipotle in adobo sauce, cinnamon, green chilies, orange juice, peanut butter, soy sauce and even tequila. Start with our version, then create your own secret recipe!
See other Game Day articles:
| Awesome Avocados! > | Game Day Dips > |
| Game On! > | Have a Ball on Game Day > |
| Host a Beer Tasting Party > | Post-Game Cleanup > |
| Top 10 Finger Foods > |
