Weekend Chili

Chili is a Texas standby and one of our very favorite dishes to have on the stove during a cold winter weekend. I discovered a recipe 20 years ago in a Pace Picante Sauce newsletter and I have carried it in my head ever since, modifying it over the years. This is easy to execute, quick to prepare, and it has a complex flavor right away. Of course, it is even better, much better in fact, the next day. Chili is very versatile and can be used in many downstream dishes. Add some to scrambled eggs and make a breakfast burrito. An egg can even be poached in the liquid to make Huevos Rancheros (the egg takes quite a bit longer than 3 minutes to poach). It can be used to top a fresh baked potato.
For the meat in this recipe, we have at one time or another used just about everything, ground beef, ground pork, Mexican (not Spanish) chorizo, ground turkey, beef cubes dusted in flour, leftover meat loaf. For the chicken stock, I usually use stock made from a previous dinner's roasted whole chicken, but you may buy low-sodium stock. This recipe is super-easy.
Recipe:
Medium dice one sweet onion and start to saute in butter in a large stock pot. Add about 1 1/2 lbs (600 g) of meat and cook with the onion. Add as much cayenne pepper as you want. I like it red. Drain if necessary. Add a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (may be in the Mexican food section; another beloved Texas staple) or any diced tomatoes with green chiles, and stir for about a minute. Add a can of red kidney beans, a can of black beans (frijoles negros), and a small can of sweet corn. Add 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock and BTBRTS (bring to boil, reduce to simmer). Simmer this way, uncovered, for at least a half hour more. Cover and keep warm. Serve with three important items: grated cheese, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Remember to save some for the next day so you see how good it can get.