What's Cooking: Super Bowl Edition

This is my all time favorite meat chili recipe. It's from the 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking, but I've changed it quite a bit. Perfect meal for a cold winter night.

Madeline Forman score: Thumb's up! She ate a hearty portion. My theory on feeding her spicy food is that babies all over the world get served spicy food. And so far she seems to like everything we make. I definitely stay toward the mild to medium spiciness and then Preston and I just add more spice to our portions if we want.

MacLeid's Rockcastle Chili Recipe adapted from: Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker Servings: 8 to 10

Sauté in a large pot until cracklings are golden brown: ½ pound bacon, diced

Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon. In the drippings, sauté briefly: 1 pound ground beef (The original recipe calls for grinding your own meat. I've done this and it is good, but not worth the extra effort. Buy good-quality ground beef, though.) 6 to 12 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 2 large onions, coarsely chopped

Deglaze the skill until foam disappears, with: 1 12 ounce bottle dark beer (We usually use some kind of winter ale.)

Stir in: 1 32 ounce can tomatoes, with juice 1 16 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 16 ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed 1 16 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 16 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (The original recipe tells you not to drain and rinse the beans, but I don't like it that way.) 6 tablespoons ancho chili powder 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 12 ounce bottle dark beer

Simmer for about 3 hours, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Season to taste with: salt and ground black pepper red pepper sauce

Delicious!