This one is all Vann – I only reaped the benefits!

This started out as a recipe I got from nola.com that called for hot turkey sausage as the base meat. I had planned on using that basic recipe, replacing the sausage with stew meat. Once I got to the store and started reading recipes on the backs of cans of beans and such, I concocted a brand new recipe on the fly. Hence, ‘From The Hip’. I decided to keep the ground coriander that the original recipe called for. I’d never really used coriander and found that it added an interesting, ‘What am I tasting?’ sort of flavor to the chili.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of Angus stew meat
1 10 oz. can Ro-tel chunky tomatoes and green chilies
1 10 oz. can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 10 oz. can hot Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 15.5 oz. can Pinto beans, undrained
1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 large red onion, sliced chunky
2 bunches green onions, chopped (Use the bottoms for cooking, the tops for garnish)
5 large garlic cloves, chopped fine (Take the time to use a knife, don’t abuse them with a mincer)
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsps chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 splash of whatever beer you happen to be drinking, just because (We’re in New Orleans, after all. Red wine will work, too.)

Throw all the cans’ contents, the onions, spices and beer into a dutch oven (or whatever you have. I’m using a cast-iron dutch oven that my mother was kind enough to give me.). Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to simmer with a lid on it.

Lightly brown the beef in a pan with a little olive oil. When the meat is just about done, throw the garlic in with it and keep stirring for about a minute. (Don’t wanna burn the garlic!) Toss the meat and garlic in with the rest.

Let the whole thing simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender. Doesn’t matter how long you let it simmmer after the meat gets good. It’ll just keep getting better!

Garnish however you like. I topped it with the chopped tops from the green onions, some chopped cilantro, chopped jalapeños, sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar. That’s just me though – I tend to go a little overboard with that kind of thing.

Oh, yeah – and enjoy!