Simple Chili

What better way to start off this recipe list than with one of my favorites? My mom's easy chili recipe is one of my top raiding foods, because the longer you just ignore it on the stove and play your game, the better it ends up tasting. It's basically fool-proof, and it's a good start if you're new to the whole cooking for yourself thing. Follow the original recipe for a savory chili that's great over rice, baked potatoes, macaroni noodles or cornbread. Add some of my optional spices for a nice spicy chili that's just as good, but with a bit more kick!

Servings: About 6 bowls of chili, more if you serve it over something.
Prep Time: Start this about 30 minutes before your raid.
Difficulty: Easy

Hardware
-A Large Pot with Lid
-Long-Handled Spoon
-Knife
-Colander (strainer)

Software
Foodstuffs
-One pound of ground beef (the leaner the beef, the better quality chili you'll have.)
-One large yellow or brown onion
-7 to 8 cloves of garlic
-2 cans dark red kidney beans
-1 can corn
-1 can diced tomatoes (If you're like me and don't dig big chunks of tomato, go for the petite diced tomatoes)
-1 standard size jar of salsa (choose your salsa based upon your taste and how hot you want your chili)
-Olive Oil
-delicious cheese of your choice to top your chili with, probably cheddar (optional)
Spices
-Cumin
-Chili Powder
-Salt
-Pepper
-Cayenne Pepper (optional)
-Red Pepper Flakes (optional - yes, the pepper flakes that the pizza guy delivers will work here, too.)

On a stovetop, heat a small amount of oil in the bottom of your pot, you won't need any more than about a tablespoon of oil or so. Dice your onion up - the pieces do not need to be too small, nor is it crucial that they be the same size. To prepare your garlic, lightly crush each clove with the flat of your knife. This'll make them easier to peel! Mince them up as fine as you can. Toss these in the now hot oil, and listen to the happy sizzle.

Get your ground beef out of the fridge, and sprinkle some of your cumin, salt, pepper and chili powder on the top of the little pile of meat you have. Cumin's going to be giving your chili a nice savory, full flavor with little spice, and the chili powder is what makes it taste like chili. Add some cayenne here if you're going down the spicy road. Put the meat in the pot with the side you've seasoned facing down, then season the other side and mix it around with your onions and garlic. Brown the meat, continuing to move it around the pot and spice to taste. You're going for small pieces of meat in your chili.

A word on spices, and why I'm not giving exact measurements: How much spice you put in your chili is a matter of preference, and you'll learn with time the balance you like to have. Personally, I use about 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1.5 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne per pot of chili, plus 3-4 packets of red pepper flakes. I'm totally estimating that, though, since I never measure.

As your meat is browning, take a moment to open up the cans of beans, corn and tomatoes. In your sink, put the beans and corn in your strainer and rinse well. See all that red grossness coming off the beans? Aren't you glad we're washing them? Yeah, me too.

Add the beans, corn, salsa and tomatoes to your beef once browned. Note that the beef does not need to be perfectly done before you add the rest of the ingredients, just a nice brown color on the outside instead of red all the way around. Stir to combine the ingredients, and if you're doing a spicier chili, add your red pepper flakes now. Bring this to a simmer (nice little bubbles coming out the top of the liquid), then reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer.

Now go raid! Let your chili simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving, and stir it occasionally if your raid wipes, or you get a break. The longer you let it simmer, the better it'll taste - so if you can hold off hunger until your raid's over it'll be totally worthwhile. As a matter of fact, it's even more delicious as a leftover than it is the first serving! Serve it with some grated cheese on top, if that's your thing. This recipe can easily be doubled if you're hosting a LAN party.

Chili-Mac: For a yummy meal that will make your chili last even longer, boil some elbow macaroni and mix it in with your chili. Deliciously simple.