Cincinnati Chili

Another chilly day here in Utah. Chilly of course is relative, since it is 55 degrees, but after weeks of beautiful temperatures in the 70s and 80s, the 50s are feeling rather cold. As a result, my family has comfort food on the mind.

I had never even HEARD of Cincinnati Chili before I met my husband and his family, but it is now a regular staple in our home. The first time I tried this meal was the night I met my husband's family at his parent's home. What is this? I would always think to myself. Little did I know how tasty and simple it was to make. For those who don't know what this tasty meal is, it's basically a spicy meat sauce on spaghetti noodles. With that being said, it IS quite spicy, if you like things a bit on the more mild-side, you might want to lessen the amount of chili powder and cayenne pepper you use.

I am a BIG fan of a quick meal, or one that I can throw everything into the crock pot and let it cook all day. Who isn't looking for a yummy and healthy dinner that can be made quickly, especially when you have a family!!

Yes, the ingredients list is long, but you will be amazed at how quickly this meal pulls together, and how it gets devoured just as fast. :) This is my mother-in-law's recipe she had for this dish, with a few tweaks from making it A LOT!

Cincinnati Chili: 

1 lb. ground beef                3 bay leaves

1/2 quart water                 1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 large onion, diced            1/2 tsp. All spice

1/2-6 oz. Can tomato paste       1 tsp. Cayenne pepper

3/4 T. vinegar                  1/2 tsp. Unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce       salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic                   1 lb. Spaghetti noodles

1 T. chili powder                grated cheese

Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain off extra grease. Add water and onion into a large crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients, except the spaghetti noodles and cheese. Allow to simmer for 4-8 hours on low in the crock pot. Take bay leaves and garlic clove out before serving. Cook spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the package. Serve the Cincinnati chili over your spaghetti noodles. Toppings can include: grated cheese, oyster crackers, chopped green onions, Tobasco sauce, etc. *The Cincinnati chili recipe makes around 15 servings, depending how much sauce you like on your noodles. Add more spaghetti noodles if you need to feed that many at once. 

*This freezes beautifully. If it makes more than you want to use that day or for leftovers, just put it in a freezer-friendly container. Put it in a saucepan the day you want to eat it again for dinner!