Chili for when it is chilly and a new cornbread recipe

It has been very cold here in southern Indiana, down to the lowest of the double digits, (TEN degrees) so yesterday I made chili and tried out a new cornbread recipe.  If you are a long-time reader, I believe I have posted this chili recipe in the past, but for those of you who haven't seen it before I will post it again.

Do you have one of these chopper tools from Pampered Chef?  If not, run out and get one.  It is one of my new favorite toys for the kitchen.  No more messing with a fork and squishing the meat, just chop and it is broken up in no time. 

 When I make chili, I make a big pot because it is always better warmed up.  We had it for lunch today and it was indeed better after being in the refrigerator over night.

 Chuck wagon Chili

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package Jimmy Dean sausage (my modification to this recipe)

1 large onion

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 clove garlic

1 can tomatoes (I use Rotel original diced tomatoes & green chilies) (10 ounces)

1 can Brooks mild Chili bean mix (10 ounces)

1 can Brooks spicy Chili bean mix (10 ounces)

(Brooks brand is a local to Indiana brand that I am partial to.)

1 red, 1 green bell pepper (I didn't have green this time so I used yellow and red)

Brown beef, remove from pan, leave grease- chop onion and cook in grease from the meat.

Drain off excess oil, add meat to pan, spices, garlic, tomatoes and bell peppers. 

Simmer for half an hour.  Add beans, cook an additional 20 minutes. 

(For those of you who know me, I can no longer have the onion and garlic, so I leave those out.  And, if you have cornbread or crackers with this, it cuts the hot.) 

The spices are what make this chili recipe stand out from others. 

 I've made this chili when I've gone camping.

  I  measured out the spices before leaving home and took with us in a baggie. 

Yesterday I made a new cornbread magazine that I got out of American Profile that comes with our newspaper.  For those of you who are linky lovers the link for this recipe is here.

Browned Butter and Sour Cream Cornbread

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups stone ground corn meal

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Melt butter in small sauce pan over medium heat

swirling often until lightly browned and nutty- about four minutes.

Pour into medium bowl and set aside to cool. 

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

 Rub eight inch cast iron skillet with the oil, place in oven to heat. 

 (I used my Calphalon and forgot to preheat the skillet and it worked out just fine.) 

 In large bowl combine cornbread, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda.

  Add eggs and sour cream to cooked butter.  Whisk well. 

 Pour dry ingredients and stir just to combine.  Do not over-mix.  Pour batter into skillet.  Bake twenty minutes and test with toothpick until it comes out clean. 

 Cool for five minutes and flip onto cooling rack. 

(I left in the skillet with lid to keep warm-

until Doug forgot and left the lid off, and then it cooled off.)

Just for the record, this cornbread is great on the second morning, heated in the microwave and topped with Brommel and Brown yogurt spread and cherry preserves with a nice cup of tea with honey.