Hot Soup Days This Week!

This is the chili I'm making today. It is COLD, COLD, COLD outside and supposed to get colder all week. We'll be wanting a good chili on the stove when we come in from it the next few days. I know most people are sick of the snow already, but I still love a good snowfall!!

Found this recipe in the Penzey's latest catalog and made some adjustments. I used venison instead of the beef short ribs. The house smells absolutely wonderful! Here's the recipe with my edits:

1 - 1.5 lbs cubed venison steak meat, about 1/2 inch each (The recipe called for beef short ribs, bone-in, baked for 1 hour before being placed in chili. Then, remove meat from ribs after the 2 hour simmer and put meat back into the chili.)
1 tsp EACH: ancho chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, black pepper, cocoa powder, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, ginger and sugar. (The recipe called for Penzey's CHILI 9000 seasoning, but I did not have any, so I improvised a bit and guessed how much of each spice might be in it.)
1/2 tsp EACH: cloves, nutmeg, salt
2 lbs chorizo sausage
1 large onion - minced
2 - 14 oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 - 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 - 14 oz cans pureed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar (whenever I cook with tomatoes, I ALWAYS add a bit of sugar to mellow the tomato a bit.)
4 cups water
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish & flavor

Brown venison in a little oil. Add chorizo to venison and cook fully. Add all spices and heat through. Add onions, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon off any fat that rises to the top. Toss with freshly chopped cilantro just before serving. Top with your favorite chili toppings (sour cream, grated cheese, green onions, etc.) ENJOY!! As my Uncle Sam always says, "Anyone who knows BEANS about chili, knows there ain't BEANS in chili!" I'll share that story with you next time!