Best Heidi Rogers Chili Recipes

THE BEST VEGETARIAN CHILI EVER

Steps:

• Place oil in a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in garlic, onion, diced carrot, red bell pepper, cubed sweet potatoes and green chiles; saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Next add in chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper; stir for about 30 seconds.
• Finally add in crushed tomatoes, broth/water, black beans, kidney beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until chili thickens and flavors come together. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt as necessary.
• Garnish with anything you'd like. Makes 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.

HEIDI'S FAMOUS CHILI

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in a little oil or water, add onions.
• Add chili powder and RO-TEL diced tomatoes/chiles, stir and heat for several minutes.
• Add HOT chili beans (I use Brooks' Hot Chili Beans but you can use whatever brand is available--if you aren't "into" hot, you can try any style of chili beans). I rinse the cans and add 1/2 a can (1/2 cup) of water per can of beans so there's extra water for noodles. If you're not using noodles, don't add the water.
• After this mixture has heated, I add the 2 large cans of tomatoes, juice and all. Simmer. Add the 2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate--it adds an extra dimension to the flavor of the tomatoes.
• When this is near-boiling, add noodles if you're going to. Simmer until these are done.
• Taste-test--you can add more chili powder if you like it really spicy.
• Remove from heat for 5-10 minutes and let rest. Stir once more before serving. It should have a nice, thick texture, not too runny. Makes 10 hearty servings, holds its flavor for leftovers.
• Serve with cornbread muffins, mexican cheese or mild cheddar, sour cream, and oyster crackers.
• Everytime I make this, I try to improve it. The recipe is a work in progress! Last night I added some garlic powder to the mix and it was quite good. I've added vermouth at times, tequila, beer (not so crazy about this), stewed whole tomatoes instead of diced (use 3 cans of whole tomatoes), and green peppers if they're available. It's all a matter of taste.
• Enjoy!

THE BEST CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until just browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until coated and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cooked ground beef and any accumulated liquid, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chili, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the beans and their liquid and simmer uncovered until the beans are softened and the chili is thickened, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with sour cream, Cheddar and scallions. Serve with tortilla chips.

KENNY ROGERS' FIRE AND ICE CHILI

Steps:

• Drain pineapple, reserving syrup.
• In a Dutch oven, cook pork, half at a time, in hot olive oil till brown.
• Return all the meat to the pot.
• Add the first chopped onion and 1 clove garlic.
• Cook over medium heat till onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add the reserved pineapple syrup, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, green chili peppers, the green pepper, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, chili powder, cumin, jalapeno pepper and salt.
• Bring to boiling.
• Reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer the chili for 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Add the pineapple chunks.
• Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more.
• Let diners add their own toppers.
• To increase the spiciness of the chili, Kenny adds 2 more T of the jalapeno pepper.

AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat add the olive oil. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking up into pieces, until browned. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook until softened. Drain excess grease.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne, paprika and 1 cup water. Mix to combine.
• Add the kidney beans and black beans, mix and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1-2 hours.
• Serve with desired toppings.