Chilly? Chili.

After a couple days of unseasonably warm weather, November showed up and reminded us what fall in New England is really about: cold, chilly days that get darker by the hour.

Besides my usual stock pile of warm cozy blankets, sweaters and socks, I also try and combat the chill with meals that will warm me up from the inside. Chili, soups and stews are the usual suspects in our house and I try to vary them up as much as possible.

One of our favorite chili recipes that I make all fall/winter long comes from the most unlikely of sources - Marlboro (yup, the cigarette company). While I have a true disdain for cigarettes, I can't deny that Marlboro has a huge array of swag that they give away to their customers...my mother-in-law being one of them. Trust me, it's hard to not feel hypocritical as I sit here writing this post while cozied up underneath the warmest fleece/flannel blanket I have ever felt (um...thanks Marlboro?).

Cancer sticks aside, Marlboro once put out this fabulous little book containing a bunch of chili recipes that people submitted and it somehow made its way into our hands.

I'm not sure what the burning question is...and I don't think I actually want to know

We've tried a bunch of the recipes over time, and I ended up cobbling together my own recipe from a few of the different ones. Now...the end result is more flavorful and less burning, since we all know that I'd go running off crying if the heat was too much.

This chili recipe is basic and changes each time I make it, depending what's in the pantry, but is a good base to start from.

I begin by chopping up and sauteing a couple cloves of garlic and a medium size onion in a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

While they're softening up, I check out the fridge to see what veggies I have. I usually go with a combo of celery, carrots and peppers. I happened to have both a green and red one, so I used those.

Once the veggies are all chopped up, I add them to the pot and let them cook up for a bit. Then we add the fun stuff:

Spices!

The exact type and measurement of my spices changes each time, but I usually go with some sort of cumin/chili powder/paprika combo. Occasionally, if I'm feeling daring, I'll even add some cayenne.

I swapped out a can of black beans for a can of navy beans right at the last minute.  No reason, just felt like it.

The spices go into the pot first, and after having cooked with the veggies for a minute or two, then you can add the beans, tomatoes, bottle of beer and chopped jalepeno pepper.

I usually go with three cans of beans, but what those beans are can change given what's in the pantry. Also, sometimes I feel like I want a nice, meaty chili and will swap out a can of beans for a pound of ground beef (that I will cook up and add before tossing in the spices). Also, I really want to be one of those people who uses dried beans and cooks them up, but I never remember to do so ahead of time. So, sigh, canned it is.

The beer changes as well, depending on what's in the fridge. Ideally, a darker beer is great for this chili, but I only had a pale ale on hand, so went with that (over the coffee flavored beer...I just didn't think that would be a great fit) and it complimented the chili well.

I bring all of that to a boil and then lower it to a simmer, allowing it to cook for a half an hour or so, stirring occasionally. Then, I add a sprinkle of brown sugar and a tablespoon of tomato paste if it looks like it needs to be thickened up some.

After taking a taste, I'll add some salt and pepper and then let it cook for another twenty minutes or so, stirring occasionally. We love to eat it with some hearty bread, and I will be honest...it's even better reheated the next day. 

Do you have a favorite go-to chili recipe?