Baby, It's Cold Outside!

For dinner last night, I made our all time favorite recipe for cold weather- Cincinnati Chili. My mom first introduced us to Cincinnati Chili when she came into town to help when my son was born. She picked up some seasoning packets during a layover in Cincinnati, and we were instant fans. It's rare we have a layover in Cincinnati, so luckily my mom found a recipe given to her from a former employee. Now we can make it whenever we get the hankering!

Words can not describe how delicious this recipe is. It is true comfort food. There are a lot of ingredients but most of them are spices, so there's little prep work. Just throw it all in the pot. Since it simmers for a couple of hours, your whole home fills up with the aroma- a fun way to surprise a husband home from a long day at work. So, for all of you out there suffering from the cold (and I'm pretty sure most everyone is) I share with you my recipe. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it as much as we do.

Cincinnati Chili
1 lb. ground beef
1 qt. water
6 oz. tomato paste
3 garlic cloves
5 bay leaves
1 onion chopped
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar

Crumble meat directly into water. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 2 hours or until thick, stirring occasionally. Serve on spaghetti and top with cheddar cheese.