Happy Independence Day to my fellow Texans! Or “Frito Pie and Shiner Day,” however you see fit to celebrate.

Jason and I have our ideas about what good chili is – and is supposed to be. Me – ridiculously spicy with no beans or ground beef (cubed beef cuts only). Jason – no beans, thick and loaded with ground beef. My friend Shannon shared her recipe for chili and it looked exactly like something Jason would like.

I stand corrected. Jason loved it. As in, “you don’t have to make that other kind again” loved it. (“That other kind” being my favorite.) I made a quadruple batch – yep, quadruple – before the baby’s arrival and froze it in quart-sized bags. To say we’ve eaten our fair share of Frito Pie around here is an understatement. You won’t hear either of us complain – Shannon knows her chili.

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Shannon’s Beef or Turkey Chili

Our favorite chili, perfect for frito pie or gameday.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp chili powder*
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin*
• 1 tsp Tobasco*
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Instructions

*Wild cards. Start with these amounts and then taste after simmering. I usually double the cumin and increase the chili powder by 2-3x. And I pour in the Tobasco until Jason takes the bottle away.

1. Crumble the ground turkey into a stock pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic, and cook stirring frequently until turkey is evenly browned.
3. Drain off excess grease.
4. Season with chili powder, oregano, cumin and hot sauce.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour.
7. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.

Notes

Yields: 4-6 servings

Source: My friend Shannon

Estimated time: 1 hour 15 minutes