Ryan's Chili

For those of you who have had my chili in the past, I am a slave to perfection or as in the case of college, something that is cost effective and plentiful. So for those who don't miss me and my gas, but miss the taste of my chili...I am doing something as a onetime promotion.

Ryan's Chili
The Essentials:
2lbs ground beef/turkey
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
2 can of beans...your choice, I prefer black or kidney.
About a tablespoon and a half of chili powder.
a Teaspoon or so of red pepper.
tablespoon of garlic powder
2 teaspoons* of masa flour. * note that this can fluctuate, so it's not completely uniform
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of paprika


Cook ground beef until brown, drain fat.
add tomato sauce and 2 cans full of water.
add all ingredients except for masa flour. Note you can add more or less red pepper, that's just an approximation of what I use.
simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Now after 30 minutes you mix a 1/4 cup of warm water and the mesa flour up till it's a gooey substance. add to chili.
Now here's where you can either just keep the chili plain ol' college style or you can mix it up.

I like to add the two cans of beans (i don't drain them)
-one half of an onion chopped
-2 small peppers chopped. either orange or yellow to give a little color.
-one jalapeno pepper
-more garlic powder to taste
-a little beer. No lite beers please. You're already eating a healthy helping of calories, no need to skimp now. Besides lite beers have no taste. I prefer Sam Adams or Yuengling.
- a few dashes of cinnamon. yeah it's odd but it's tasty and adds flavor.
- grilled steak chopped into small bites. adds some meat chunks.
-Sprinkle some cheese in and you're gold!

Simmer covered for a minimum of a half an hour or up to 2. The longer it cooks the better the flavor is.


Other options I've used in the past to varying degrees of effect:
Frank's Red Hot
Maple Syrup
Chocolate Syrup
Coffee
Bacon
Turkey Breast
Corn
Mushrooms

Don't be afraid to experiment, but I like to start with a basic chili before I start making all sorts of changes. Enjoy and post your success stories.