My most favorite day of the year at the office is Halloween (closely followed by the day after Inventory…that’s a me thing).  Not only do we have GREAT costumes, and AWE-Mazing Decorations & Special Effects, but we have FOOD that’s to die for….muahahaha….

Speaking of food that’s to die for, this crazy good 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne recipe was born on the pages of a murder mystery. IF the term Layers of Flavor applied to any single recipe….this might just be the ONE….27 of them to be exact.

If you like a good who-done-it mystery and you like cook books, The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders is for you.  When you’ve finished reading it, you might even catch yourself returning it to your cookbook shelf.  Master chef and amateur sleuth Eugenia Potter returns to Arizona from her Maine cottage when disappearances and murder affect the operation of her ranch.  The author, scatters tasty recipes throughout the plot, including the now famous title recipe 27 Ingredient Chili.

Ingredient #1 is 1lb. dried pinto beans, that need to be soaked in ‘water’ (oddly considered ingredient#2) overnight.  From there, beginning with ingredient #3, the layers of flavor and volume of chili begin to build.  As you eat it you will find yourself identifying them one by one, the sweet of the baked beans, the tang of the chili sauce, and a hint of orange all come together beautifully.  This recipe will easily feed 20.  However, if you’re serving a smaller group, this is a wonderful opportunity to {Share the Love} or freeze some to warm up a cold winter night.

Did I mention the fabulous team I work with and how they/WE love Halloween?!  Here’s a little sampling of our Halloween Buffet.  What you don’t see are crock-pots of love….Cowboy Chili, Wild Mushroom with Chicken & Rice Soup, 27 Ingredient Murder Mystery Chili, Boiled Peanuts (we are in the South after-all), and Beef Stew slow roasted in a Pumpkin….just sayin’.

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27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne {Share the Love}

Course Entree

Servings 20

Author Virginia Rich

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dry pinto beans
• Water to cover
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 onions medium chopped
• 1 7 oz can of diced green chilies
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 lbs. ground sirloin
• 1 lb. pork sausage like Jimmy Dean plain
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 16 oz can of Boston baked beans
• 1 4 oz can pimientos
• 2 30 oz size diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup celery chopped
• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 cup sweet red pepper chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
• 1 9 oz pitted ripe olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley minced
• 1 12 oz bottle of chili sauce
• 1 Tbl. salt
• 1 Tbl. garlic salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbl. cilantro chopped
• 1 Tbl. oregano
• 2-4 Tbl. chili powder more or less-to taste
• 1/2 tsp. orange zest easy does it
• 1 pt. sour cream

Instructions

• Wash and drain pinto beans and soak in water overnight. Drain.
• Cover with water and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile melt butter in large Dutch oven and add onions chilies and garlic. Saute until onion is soft.
• Add chopped sirloin and cook over moderate heat until meat is brown.
• In a separate pan brown sausage and pour off fat. Add sausage to meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir to blend.
• Add pinto and canned beans and all remaining ingredients except sour cream; bring just to boil.
• Lower heat and simmer about 30 minutes.
• Skim off fat with a cold spoon as it rises to the top.
• Serve with sour cream.

Notes

This chili freezes beautifully.

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