Mudgeonly Monday – Chili How Dad Likes It

Herb’s blog, Herbdate 22088-658:

I have had a lot of posts lately that I really liked. I felt good about them. Then comes a time like now and I just am not feeling it. No offense to you guys, I have got one of the brightest and most intelligent audiences I have had in a long time, but I just don’t feel like blogging at the moment. I did do something today, though.

Earlier today daughter said, “Dad, will you make ‘Chili How Dad Likes It’ tonight? I’ve got a hard day of work and mom isn’t feeling good.” “Okay.” You will see in a little while how I had to slave over a hot stove all day, working my poor little fingers to the bone. It’s okay, though, I managed to win through. The recipe is nothing spectacular and the various families have modified it. It’s “Chili How Troy Likes It” at the one daughter’s house because he wants it to be a lot hotter and spicier than I do. I’m not a spicy/hot food fan of any sort but I do like flavorful.

How it got started is that we have never been rich and there have been times we were poorer than Job’s turkey. My wife would go through the cupboards and see what we had to work with and just kind of make it. One time, I don’t remember what the occasion was, I said, “You know, we need to write that recipe down so we can know how we do it each time.” Then I could take it camping, too. “Well, not everybody likes it the way you do.” “Well, then, we’ll call it ‘Chili How Dad Likes It’.”

As you can see, “Chili How Dad Likes It” is not an exact science of any sort, so if the size or measurement isn’t available, just use what you’ve got that’s close. Oh, and as far as measurements go, I’m an American and a curmudgeonly one at that, so I use the American Imperial measurements of cups and pints and ounces, etc. As a young boy they tried to indoctrinate us to use the Metric System but I never fell for it. You’ll have to do your own conversions.

Chili How Dad Likes It

2 cans 15.5 oz Kidney Beans dark red or light red, whatever you like. I use either or one of each

1 can 14.5 oz Mexican Stewed Tomatoes (Italian will work if Mexican not available) or Rotel regular (The Rotel were what was in our original recipe.)

2 cans 14.5 oz Regular Stewed Tomatoes

1 pkg Chili Mix (McCormick’s if possible, Regular, not Mild) 1 pkg = 4 tbsp. 4 tbsp = 1/4 cup if you just have the big thing of chili powder.

1 can V-8 Vegetable Juice (Not tomato juice) I use the regular but you can get it in a hot version as well. It doesn’t have to be the V-8 brand but just not regular tomato juice.

2 cups frozen corn or 1 15 oz can corn

8 oz Macaroni if you want. Or not. This ingredient used to read, “macaroni from a box of mac and cheese that you used the cheese for something else.”

2 cups water

1 Onion chopped however you like

1 lb hamburger

1/2 tsp cumin

Fry the hamburger, cumin, and onions together.

In another pot pour all of the canned ingredients and the water in. Do not drain anything. Mix the chili powder into it. Add the hamburger/onion/cumin when it’s done.

Prepare the elbow macaroni if you want it and add it when it’s ready.

I then bring the whole thing to a rip-roarin’ rolling boil, stirring constantly, then turn down the heat and just let it simmer.

When Grandma Pike was alive we used to have her make homemade bread to go with it but now I just go to the store and get a loaf of French or Italian bread and some saltine crackers if we don’t have any. Lately, we’ve started putting grated sharp cheddar cheese on top for a tasty garnish.

25 calories per ounce(-ish. Sans cheese). Makes a little over 18 cups or just over a gallon.