Flyover Chili

Ingredients

•     2 x 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
•     40 oz. dark red kidney beans
•     1/8 c. chili powder
•     15 dried Serrano peppers, chopped or crumbled
•     2 t. oregano
•     1 t. ground cumin
•     salt to taste
•     2 t. Cayenne pepper
•     8 c. water
•     2 lbs. ground beef
•     ¼ c. canola oil
•     2 medium sweet onions, diced
•     1 green bell pepper, diced
•     3 T. diced garlic
•     8 oz. dry spaghetti (thick)
•     saltine crackers
•     grated Parmesan cheese
•     Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)

Procedure

1. In an 8-quart pot, combine tomatoes, kidney beans (with juice), chili powder, oregano, cumin, Serrano peppers, salt, Cayenne pepper, and water.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef in 2 batches. Transfer to a plate lined with folded paper towels to drain and cool.
3. Add canola oil to the skillet and set heat to medium.
4. When oil begins to shimmer, add the sweet onions. Cook until soft, then transfer to the main pot.
5. Cook bell pepper and garlic in the skillet until soft. Transfer to the main pot.
6. When ground beef is cool, crumble it into the main pot.
7. Simmer the chili gently for as long as you like, but at least 3 hours.
8. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions to attain al dente consistency.
9. Add cooked spaghetti to chili and continue to cook for at least an hour.
10. To serve, crumble a handful of saltines in a large bowl. Ladle chili into the bowl, then shake a generous portion of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
11. If you have a death wish, add Tabasco or other hot sauce on top.

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Okay, so this recipe is likely to goose up some pooh-poohs from folks in the Southwest. Y'all give a rest now, hear? This is one of the several ways we make chili in Kentucky. Bloemer's Chili Powder rocks!