Tonight's Dinner: Cincinnati chili recipe

Chili is one of my go-to cold weather dinner recipes. It's easy, delicious and always makes my kitchen smell amazing. I don't know why, but there's just something about having a bit pot of chili cooking on the stove that screams "home" to me -- and I've had tons of different kinds from turkey to chili con carne. Most of the time I eat my chili with a big piece of cornbread or crusty sour dough, but recently I've been hearing about people eating their chili ladled over pasta and wanted to give it a try. It was delicious! And so easy. The only thing I had to add to my recipe was the spaghetti for the chili to go over. It was so good that I'm definitely going to make this Cincinnati version more often.

Cincinnati chili

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 (28 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle light beer
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are tender, about three minutes. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, beer, chili powder, basil, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for at least an hour but no more than three.
3. Separate the cooked spaghetti between the eight bowls and ladle the chili over it. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over the chili if you like and serve immediately.

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