chipotle chocolate chili . . .

Have you ever heard of chocolate chili?

I had heard of it, but had never tried it . . . that is, until I found a recipe for Chipotle Chocolate Chili in one of my sister-in-law's cookbooks . . . and made it the day after arriving home from our Winter vacation. I just couldn't wait!

It's made with unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate, kidney beans, and chipotle sauce (along with other traditional chili ingredients). It's not only easy to prepare, but it's incredibly rich and flavorful.

I love how the flavors of this chili compliment one another. There's a balance of sweetness (kidney beans & brown sugar), spiciness (chipotle sauce, cumin & chili powder), acidity (diced tomatoes & red wine vinegar), and richness (unsweetened cocoa and chocolate).

Chipotle chocolate chili . . .

a wonderfully, delicious play on a classic!

You'll even fall in love with it's deep color . . .

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 14.5-oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can beef broth

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Chipotle sauce

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 

~ be careful, because too much unsweetened cocoa will make your chili bitter ~

3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Toppings

fresh cilantro
sour cream

chopped green onions

shredded jack or cheddar cheese

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground beef until meat is cooked through. Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, kidney beans, and beef broth. Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies.

Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (about 30-40 minutes).

If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies (only if you like HEAT!). Add 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar and a small amount of grated chocolate at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.

When thickened and seasoned, serve with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded jack or cheddar cheese. I also served Garlic Naan bread alongside the chili.

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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More chili recipes . . .

Taco Chili

Creamy White Bean & Chicken Chili

traditional chili, sweet corn cakes . . . and a cozy Fall dinner

My mom gave me this beautiful ladle (and cast iron pot) several months ago.

It's old, very old. It was my Great-Great Grandmother's.  My Great-Grandma brought it with her when she came to the United States from Germany.

The end of the handle is engraved. Did you notice it?

                         Mutter means mother.

My Great-Great Grandmother's initials are also engraved on it, just above Mutter. . . .  v.d. the "V" was for Verona.

So when my mom gave it to me, along with my Great-Grandma's cast iron pot, I knew that I had something very, very special.  I can only imagine how many meals were made in this pot . . . and how many special occasions my Great- Great Grandma, Great-Grandma, and Grandma used the ladle.

I've made several meals in this pot. I have so many memories of my Grandma, Monie, making her famous chili in it. She made it every year for her annual Halloween party. She retired the pot when she was 97 year old.

Since writing this post here, I've been researching and sampling traditional chili recipes . . . . looking forTHE ONE.  The one that is most like my late Grandma's chili.

After months of searching, sampling, and eating . . . I found it!

It's Paula Deen's Taco Chili recipe! I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. Paula Deen might be the only celebrity chef still publishing good old-fashioned, home-style recipes. Her Taco Chili recipe is thick, rich, and FULL of flavor, and it tastes just like my grandma's did. Although my grandma didn't add a packet of ranch dressing mix to the chili like Paula's recipe, it sure tasted like she did.

I was so excited when I tried it for the first time. It felt like I hit the jack pot!

When our oldest son walked through the front door yesterday evening and said, "Mom, it smells like Monie's kitchen," I felt my heart sing.

You see, he's old enough to remember my grandma's chili and her insanely fun Halloween parties.

In honor of tradition, my Grandma, heirlooms, and family . . .  
We gathered yesterday evening to enjoy a traditional chili dinner that I cooked in my Grandma's cast iron pot (for hours and hours and hours), and then served using my Great-Great Grandmother's ladle.

I'm so thankful for family and tradition.

I hope to re-create this evening in honor of my grandma every year.

Who knows . . . maybe my little girls will grow up and feel inspired to host an evening like this for their families.

~ our cozy Fall dinner menu ~

traditional chili

sweet corn cakes

tortilla chips

garnish with sour cream, cheese, and avocado

*     *     *     *     *

IBC bottled Black Cherry soda

*     *     *     *     *

pumpkin sugar cookies & caramel ribbon ice cream

Traditional Chili 

ingredients

1 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans

1/2 cup pinto beans

1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages taco seasoning

1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix

3 tablespoons onions, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

2 -4 cups water

1 (11 3/4 ounce) cans diced tomatoes & green chiles (such as Rotel)

1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 lb ground beef, cooked, drained

preparation

Brown ground beef with onion, drain off grease.

In a large pot combine all other ingredients and let simmer on low heat 2-4 hours, 
or until beans are tender.

Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, green onions and avocados.

I love sweet corn cakes, especially with chili!  I crumble them on top, so that each bite of chili bursts with the flavors of sweet and spicy. It's so so so good.

When I serve a cozy meal like this one, I like to keep things simple and easy to clean up . . . so I take a large piece of parchment paper and place it on the center of our dining room table. Instead of pouring the tortilla chips into a bowl, I pour them onto the parchment paper. And since chili stains, it also keeps my tablecloth clean when the ladle fall from the pot onto the table (which seems to happen every time).

We have a family tradition of our own  . . . .
We gather lots of pillows and blankets, and cozy up on the couch to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charley Brown" just before Halloween every year. So last night, after dinner, we gathered in our family room with Halloween cookies and caramel ribbon ice cream  . . . and watched as Linus patiently waited for The Great Pumpkin.

I baked several batches of Nestle's Halloween Sugar cookies earlier in the day, as this is something that I've done for my oldest son since he was two years old (for every holiday!).  I love them too!

One of my favorite ways to eat chili . . . right out of a mug!

 

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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creamy white bean & chicken chili with roasted sweet potatoes

I wanted to share this post again, since chili is a popular dinner served on Halloween.

It's easy to see why . . . it's simple to prepare and ever-so-hearty.  A delicious on-the-go dinner for busy trick-or-treaters. 

Chili has a special place in my heart! It reminds me of my late grandma, Monie, who made it every year for our family's Annual Halloween Celebration! Her chili was famous!  

  

It was rich . . . thick . . . and hearty! Made with a tomato base, meat, salsa, and LOADS of spices . . . It was amazing.

Shortly after her 97th birthday she shared with us that she didn't think she was going to host Halloween that year, because it was just too much. And although we all offered to help, she still declined because she knew she couldn't host it the way that she always did, and wanted to . . . so our chili tradition ended, sadly.

Several of us asked her for the recipe, so as to carry on the "chili tradition" in our own homes . . . but her response was "Honey, there is no recipe." 

What!?! How could that be? 

Determined to have it, I asked her to prepare it one afternoon so that I could watch and record. My attempt proved quite difficult because she didn't measure a single ingredient, and used a lot of "this and that." 

My culinary skills have grown over the years, and what I've come to realize is that chili is probably one of the most versatile recipes, and that some of the best chili's don't have a recipe! 

Monie's chili is still THE BEST CHILI I have ever eaten , and knowing what I know now . . . It wasn't amazing because of a 'special ingredient' . . . It was amazing because she prepared it with LOVE . . . and a lot of it! ((Her century-old cast iron pot ~ laden with more flavor than you could imagine ~ might have helped a little too. Smile!))

I haven't tried to re-create her chili. I'm not sure that I ever could, even if I tried. And that's ok. It was HER chili, and she will always be remembered for it!

Since marrying my husband, I've prepared a few chili recipes . . . and tend to lean towards white bean and chicken chili's. I appreciate their light and fresh flavors . . . and love that I can add ROASTED Fall vegetables for an extra special treat.  Roasted sweet potatoes are my favorite . . . as their sweetness is a pleasant play off the warm cumin and chili spices. 

I recommend serving your favorite garlic bread with THIS chili  . . . and don't forget a few great toppings too! CRUMBLED BACON makes this ever so good!!

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded

(If you don't have time to roast your own chicken, then a rotisserie chicken works great too)

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium sweet potato, chopped and roasted

1 tablespoon butter

2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (8 ounces) chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon salt

2  teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish with . . . fresh Italian flat leaf parsley or cilantro, sour cream, shredded Pepper  Jack Cheese, and CRUMBLED BACON

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in butter until tender, stir in seasonings, allowing them to heat. Add garlic and saute. Stirring frequently.

Add the beans, broth, chilies, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 

Add roasted sweet potatoes and shredded chicken. Cover pot with lid. 

Remove from the heat; stir in cream. 

Serves 6-8

bon appetit!

~ This post is dedicated to my late grandma, Monie ~

We miss you!

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