Chili. It is the single culinary word that elicits the strongest reaction. Can beans be in chili? What about corn? Does it have to be spicy? Can it be vegetarian? To be honest I believe chili is whatever you want it to be. It is a stew. Pure and simple.

My chili is a bit different. Yes it is kid friendly. No heat at all. It includes corn and beans. It is sweet. It uses ground meat. If you talk to a chili purist I am sure at least two of those items will get you on some super secret “not chili” list but it my recipe has always worked for me.

I serve the chili with hot pepper flakes for the adventurous but the majority of people just sprinkle a little shredded cheddar and perhaps some green onion on it and chow down.