Chili is one of those great things to have on cool days so with the fall football season in full swing (and baseball playoffs just around the corner) I’m sharing my favorite chili recipe. It’s pretty easy to throw together. I’ve done it several ways for camping: I’ve made it ahead of time, took it along, and heated it up in a slow cooker; I’ve prepared on my camp stove at the campground; and a friend of mine who is good at dutch oven cooking has made it over our campfire in their dutch oven.

This recipe doesn’t have pasta in it which is one of the great debates in our family (we’re pretty evenly divided over how we feel about it - my son says it’s chili soup if there are noodles in it and not “real” chili). I make a chili with noodles in it and like that one too so I don’t get too involved in the debate. But I like this “pasta free” chili for camping because it can be reheated without worrying about the pasta getting overcooked and mushy.

GAME DAY CHILI
Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground beef
1, 16 ounce package thick sliced smoked bacon cut into 1-inch strips
2 large onions, chopped
3 large green peppers, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 six ounce can tomato paste (roasted garlic flavor if it’s available; otherwise plain is fine)
2 cans “Brooks Just for Chili” diced tomatoes
2 cans “Brooks Chili Hot” spicy beans (get mild ones if you don’t like spicy chili)
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup beer (whatever your favorite is but avoid “light” beer)
½ cup chili powder (this isn’t a typo but if you don’t like spicy chili start with a ¼ cup and add more if desired)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon red pepper (less if you want a mild chili)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, sour cream, and saltine crackers are good accompanients.