Chili Weather?

It hasn't been all that cold here as of late, although it's supposed to be in the mid-40's tonight. Despite that I decided to make some chili Tuesday night. This month's Everyday Food had a recipe for 30-Minute Chili and it called out to me. Partially because I had yet to make a meat based chili, and also because it was a 2 meal recipe, resulting in leftovers that are used in a second recipe. I haven't made the second recipe, Cheesy Hash-Brown Bake, but the chili was accomplished, and the leftovers are residing in the freezer til later next week. This was an enjoyable meal, with only one or two marks against it, which I'll mention in my notes below.

30-Minute Chili
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 8 plus 4 cups for 2nd recipe
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
3 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 12 oz. bottle mild lager beer
2 14.5 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

• In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, chili powder, chipotles, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until mixture has begun to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with their juice, beer, and beans. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook over medium heat until chili has thickened slightly and beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Reserve 4 cups for Cheesy Hash-Brown Bake. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired, and serve.

My notes: I cut this recipe in half, so that Josh and I each had a 2 cup serving for dinner, I reserved 4 cups for the other recipe, and I had about a cup leftover for lunch the next day. This chili had too much of a cinnamon flavor to it, in my opinion, even after adding extra chili powder. The next time I make it I think I will decrease the amount of cinnamon, increase the chili powder, and add some cumin or red pepper flakes. Also might add some jalapeno in with the onion and garlic.