This is a good one for those who fear “that hot stuff”. Of course, with your bottle of Tabasco close at hand, your bowl can be as hot as you choose.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 & 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 envelope (1 & 3/4 oz) chili seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, undrained
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. Cook onions over medium heat until transparent, add ground beef and stir until browned.

Stir in chili seasoning mix, then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with oyster crackers and, of course, shredded cheese.

The “Cha’s” do not refer to the Latin dance, but to the CHopped CHipotle in the recipe.

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp minced drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 15-oz can pinto beans, drained
1 28-oz can diced low-salt tomatoes
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chiles, drained
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender.

Add chili powder and next 6 ingredients (chili powder through green chiles); bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Ladle chili into individual bowls, and garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

This recipe might actually serve even more eaters if they doctor their chili like I do – oyster crackers, macaroni, cheese. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for the chili.

2 lb lean ground chuck
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each ground cumin & dried oregano
1 tsp each salt & pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 medium bell peppers (any color), quartered, cored and seeded
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained

Crumble beef into a large deep skillet over high heat. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently (or you’ll end up with a giant hamburger patty), until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat .

Place garlic, onion and peppers into your food processor and pulse until chopped really well. Now sauté this mixture for about 5 minutes in another pan.

Combine the two mixtures, add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, another 5 minutes. It’s ready.

Serve with the usual suspects: crackers, scallions, cheese, sour cream and don’t forget that favorite accompaniment to everything, “whatever”.

If you can’t find canned whole sweet potatoes (or Yams) take a raw one, peel it, dice it and nuke for 4 minutes.

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup canned sweet potato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ancho or chipotle chile
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
1 & 1/3 cups water
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle, salt and stir about 30 seconds.

Add water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 10 minutes.

Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat and return to a simmer, stirring often about 4 minutes to blend the flavors.

Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and you’re ready to dazzle ‘em.

Delicious and colorful – Red peppers, Yellow onions, Black beans; that could be the colors of some country’s flag. If someone salutes his bowl of chili you’ll know why.

6 boneless chicken-breast halves, diced
2 medium red peppers, chopped
1&1/2 medium yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cans (15 to 19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (28 ounce) Italian plum tomatoes
1 cup beer
1 container (10&1/2 oz) sharp cold pack (spreadable) cheese

Saute chicken, red peppers, onions, and garlic in oil in a Dutch oven about 5 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked.

Add chili powder, cumin, and coriander; cook 3 minutes, then stir in beans, tomatoes (with their liquid), and beer. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat to low, stir in cheese and continue cooking a few minutes until cheese melts and chili is hot. It’s finished.

Yum, yum! Eat it up!

If you decide to go the ground beef route, better change the name. Beef chunks are the rule for Texas-type chili. How about,”Left-Over Ground Beef Chili”? I don’t think so. “Ten Minute Chili” is better.

2 cups leftover cooked roast beef, cubed (cooked ground beef works,too)
1 & 1/4 cups salsa
1/2 cup water
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained

Ready?

Go! Put everything in a pan, heat it for about ten minutes and serve. Now that’s quick and easy, eh?.

Why “Your way”? ‘Cause you can turn this spicy number into a way hot chili just by doubling the amount of chorizo and halving the ground beef.

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb beef chorizo
1&1/2 cups chopped white onions
2 to 4 medium serrano peppers, chopped 2 Tbsp ground ancho (or regular chili powder)
2 Tbsp masa harina or cornmeal)
1 Tbsp dried oregano, crushed)
1 tsp salt)
2 cans (15 oz each) garbanzo or pinto beans, rinsed, drained)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained)
Hot cooked rice or macaroni (optional)

Brown ground beef and chorizo with onions and peppers in stockpot over medium heat about 7 or 8 minutes or until beef and chorizo are not pink, breaking beef up into crumbles. Add chili powder, masa harina, oregano and salt; cook and stir a minute or so.

It would certainly be alright to use ground beef instead of pork or to use another bean instead of cannellini. If you do that, however, it won’t be the same recipe and you’d have to rename it and…oh, just leave it alone, ok?

By the way, originally this recipe appeared here calling the beans, "canneloni" which we all know is an Italian pastry, don't we? That would sure be an interesting chili.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb ground pork
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp corn meal
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
14 1/2 oz chicken broth
15 oz white beans ,(cannellini or navy)
salt & pepper, to taste
fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes, then add the meat and cook about 7 minutes more. Be sure to keep breaking up the meat so it doesn’t become a single large clump - you'd hate that.

Add garlic, cornmeal, chili powder, cumin and cayenne, stir 1 minute and gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits.

Add beans and meat mixture. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes to combine the flavors.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in cilantro, and ladle into bowls. Serve with tortilla chips and cheddar cheese, or anything your little heart desires.

No, I don’t mean “basil” instead of “cumin”. I say, chili is not chili without cumin. I say a lot of other things, too, but you know that, don’t you?

With the chopping of the veggies this might take thirty minutes. If you buy pre-chopped you'll be through even sooner.

1/8 cup canola oil
3/4 lb low-fat ground chicken
½ cup each onion & celery, finely chopped
½ cup tomatoes, diced
1/8 cup minced garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups low-salt chicken stock
1 (16-oz) can kidney beans
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each cumin & dried basil
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat canola oil in large saucepan, add ground chicken and brown, about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add everything else and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If you’ve got a hungry bunch, not much time and the weather is chilly it’s a perfect time for this super-easy chili. Even if it’s not chilly it’s still great chili. Got all that?

4 (15-oz) cans beans of your choice, NOT drained
3 (14.5-oz) cans Mexican-style diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 & 1/2 cups shredded chicken (From the market)
1 & 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp Tabasco-style sauce, or more to taste

Dump the beans and tomatoes with liquid, chicken, cumin, bay leaf and hot pepper sauce into a 4-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until it boils, 4 to 5 minutes, then lower the heat, put a lid on the pan and simmer about 20-25 minutes more.

(Any recipe you can present in one sentence MUST be quick and easy.)

Now the hard part: finding and removing that bay leaf before serving.

Who says vegetables can't be fun? And if you add a little cayenne pepper they can be pretty exciting, too!

2 tsps. vegetable oil
2 Large carrots, scrubbed and finely chopped
1 Large onion, coarsely chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cumin
1 28 ozcan crushed tomatoes in purée
1 14 oz can each black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans (or use 3 cans of your favorite), rinsed and drained
About 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Thinly sliced green onions

In a 4-5 quart pan, combine oil, carrots, and chopped onion, Cook over high heat about 5 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften.

Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, thyme, and cumin; cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes and their purée, then beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors.

To serve, ladle into bowls; top with sour cream and green onions or parsley.

Now wasn't that a quick and easy one!

Healthful? Let’s see: Turkey-Yes. Olive oil-Yes.Tomatoes-Of course .Beans-OK. Chili Powder-Also good for you. So, 5 out of 5; I call that “healthful”

1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 14 oz cans chopped stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 15 oz can spicy chili beans
1 Tbsp chili powder

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble and cook turkey until no longer pink, about 5 minutes; drain.

Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve, telling everyone how hard you worked to create the delicious stuff.

If you don’t like water, substitute more beer in this pretty-darn-hot dish. If you don’t like beer, substitute water. If you don’t like ground turkey…Hey! Forget it, find another recipe.

12 oz uncooked ground turkey
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 12-oz can or bottle beer
1/2 cup water
2 to 4 medium jalapeno chile peppers,seeded & finely chopped
2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15-oz cans pinto beans or any other (please, no lima beans), rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp lime juice

In a large, heavy saucepan saute onion in oil about 3 minutes, then add the turkey and cook, stirring, until no longer pink.

Drain any fat, stir in beer, water, jalapeno peppers, bouillon granules, chili powder, cumin and bring to boiling. Reduce heat amd simmer, uncovered, for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Now stir in the beans and lime juice, heat through for a couple minutes and, voila! (or Ole!) you’ve got chili that’s different but still real chili.

Mash about half of the beans if you want it thicker. Serve with sides of sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges, more chili powder and hot sauce.

As you see, chili does not have to be an all day project. Instead it can be a 20 minute dish which leaves a lot of time to spend eating it. And don't go crazy with the cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp is plenty.

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total)
1 tsp olive oil
1 Cup chopped onion (buy it in a jar)
1 Tbsp bottled minced garlic
1 15 oz can white beans
1 10 oz can cannellini beans
1 4&1/2 oz can chopped green chilies (optional)
1&1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 14 oz can low-salt chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, optional
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Heat the oil on medium in a 4&1/2-qt Dutch oven or soup pot.

Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks. Add them and the garlic to the pot and stir occasionally.

While the chicken cooks, rinse and drain the beans and the chilies (optional-I hate peppers in chili). Add to the pot along with the cumin, white pepper and cayenne pepper.

Raise the heat to high, add the broth and beans, cover the pot and bring the chili to a boil.

Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a small container that has a lid. Shake well to remove any lumps. When the chili boils, the chicken should be done even if it was still a bit frozen when you started.

Add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly. Continue to boil until the chili reaches the desired thickness. Remove from the heat and serve.

Garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired (I do, I do).

Based on the famous Cincinnati-Style Chili, traditionally served over spaghetti, this recipe calls for cooking the spaghetti right along with other tasty ingredients. That's so we can call it - you know - quick and easy.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
3 cups water
1/2 cup taco sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
4 oz uncooked spaghetti, broken into thirds (1 1/2 cups)
1 can (15-16 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream, if desired
Jalapeno chilies, if desired

Heat oil in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

Stir in water, taco sauce, chili powder, salt, cinnamon and tomatoes.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in spaghetti and beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti is tender.

If you're feeling fancy garnish each serving with sour cream and jalapeno chilies.

Great for the approaching (as of this writing) winter season. Even if you don't have winter where you live it's still a great dish.

A purist might sneer at canned beans, rather than dried ones soaked overnight. We've done both, and, guess what? You can't really tell the difference in a recipe with all the wonderful flavors in this dish.

1 14 oz can black beans
I 14 oz can kidney beans
3 Tbsp kosher or sea salt
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
3 Carrots, chopped
I Onion, chopped
2 Large celery ribs, chopped
I Garlic clove, crushed
I tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 Cup red wine 6 Cups beef stock 2 Cups water Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 4-5 quart sauce pan. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until soft. Stir in the cumin, cayenne, oregano, and salt to taste.

Add the wine, stock, and water and stir all the ingredients together. Add the beans to the pan and bring to boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer half the soup, including most of the solids, to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Return to the pan, stir well and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve hot, garnished with a blob (kitchen-talk for "spoonfull") of sour cream and a smidgen ("pinch") of chopped cilantro.