Chili: A Super Bowl classic

QUICK TAILGATE CHILI

The advantage with this recipe is that it comes together within 30 minutes, and you don't have to peel, chop or mince anything!

1 pound ground beef, 85 to 93 percent lean

2 tablespoons onion flakes

1-2 teaspoons chili powder, optional

1 7-ounce can chopped green chiles

1 16-ounce jar salsa or picante sauce (mild, medium or hot, depending on your heat preference)

1 10-ounce can Ro-tel diced tomatoes and chiles

1 tablespoon dried cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 15-ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can beef broth

Garnishes: Sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado

In a large stock pot, brown the ground beef and break it into small chunks. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Simmer 20 minutes. Taste and add additional cumin, salt, chili powder or other seasonings as desired.

Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese. Makes about 8 11/2-cup servings.

— Valerie Phillips

Chili, like sports teams and politics, can spark some heated debates.

For instance, the International Chili Society doesn't allow any beans in its competition chili cook-offs. Vegetarians, however, prefer chili with beans, but no meat. Some folks say it's not "chili" without a tomato base, but chili verde gets its green sauce from tomatillos and green chiles. Beef is the meat of choice for many, but others like pork, chicken or turkey.

White bean and black bean chilis each have their own followings as well. Cincinnati-style chili might contain cloves, cinnamon and chocolate instead of chiles, and it's served over spaghetti noodles.

If you're putting together a Super Bowl party, why not make it into a chili bar, with two or three kinds of chili, plus lots of toppings so everyone can mix-and-match to make their own creation?