Stamping the snow off of my boots I came into the convent from the windy cold outdoors. As I shed my coat, I thought “Nothing could be more comforting than the warmth of being indoors right now.” But then I entered the refectory where I was met with something else even more comforting. It was the unmistakable aroma of one of our favorite meals, simmering in the skillet. Cooked with just the right combination of spices and seasonings, few, if any can resist this Southwestern chili especially on a chilly night like this.
As mealtime arrived the Sisters all gathered in the dining room where a glowing fire crackled in the fireplace. Each of us had a bowl of chili with our own favorite choice of toppings. Nothing could have warmed our hearts or satisfied our pallets more. We ate our meal with gladness and gave God thanks for all His many, many blessings to us.

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Southwestern Chili

Make-ahead note: The flavors continue to develop as the chili sits, so go ahead and make it up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it in a container with a tight-*fitting lid. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

SERVINGS 6 CHANGE SERVING SIZE

COOK TIME 6-8hrs

PREP TIME 45mins

READY IN 7-9hrs

Ingredients

• Chili
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onion(s) yellow, medium, diced
• 1 red bell pepper medium, diced
• 2 garlic clove(s) medium, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin ground
• 2 lbs beef lean, ground
• 1 1/2 tsp salt plus more as needed
• 1 can tomato(es) (28 oz.) diced
• 1 cup chili sauce or ketchup
• 2 cans kidney beans (15 oz.) drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños coarsely chopped and drained, (or green chiles)
• 1 can beer
• 1 cup coffee strong
• Toppings
• cheddar cheese shredded
• scallion(s) thinly sliced
• sour cream
• corn chips

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables, ground beef, and spices, then put the mixture into the Crockpot or covered skillet along with tomatoes and kidney beans. Simmer until it’s thickened and has a nice beefy flavor, and then stir in jalapeños. We like this served with cornbread.
2. To use dried beans in place of canned, start with 1 cup dried beans, soaked and cooked to yield 3 cups.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and measured salt and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the beef is browned, about 7 minutes.
5. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker or covered skillet, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, and beans, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on lowest possible heat until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, adding small amounts of the beer and coffee as needed to keep mixture from sticking. Stir in the jalapeños or green chiles. Taste and season with salt as needed.