beef and beer chili + skillet cornbread

As the temperatures start to cool down in Chicago, my weekends are likely to involve the making of a soup, stew or chili. They are pure comfort food and one big pot lasts for a few meals. I usually HATE leftovers, but with soups, I can eat the same one a few times without getting sick of it. Chili is also the perfect dish eat while cozied up on the couch watching football game. This Saturday I made a nice big pot of beef and beer chili. I also made skillet cornbread which was so much better than the boxed stuff and just as easy.

A big thank you to Rachel Kindred for this delicious new chili recipe.

Here's what you'll need...
2 lbs of lean ground beef
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 can beer (I used Leinenkugel's Octoberfest but any dark beer will work)
15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
15 oz can chili beans

Here's what to do...
Heat the ground beef, add tomato sauce, chopped onion and garlic powder. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add chili powder, oregano, salt, cumin, tabasco, cayenne pepper and 1/2 can beer.
Mix in can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 green pepper. Stir together and simmer for one hour.
Add chili bean at the end (so they don't get smashed).
Add a little cheese, avocado or sour cream for good measure...

And now for the skillet cornbread. I used this recipe and didn't change a thing. The bread fit perfectly in my Le Creuset skillet and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter in the bottom stopped even a crumb from sticking to the skillet. I love the presentation of cooking and serving in the skillet - so pretty!