Chili and cornbread are a great combination.  If you buy chili in a can, you’re missing out.  Homemade chili is incredibly easy to make, and a whole lot better–for your palate, your wallet, and your health–than canned chili.

So what exactly IS chili? When people think of chili, they may think of something that looks like anything from sloppy joe mix to a veggie soup.  That’s because there really is no hard and fast definition for chili; traditionally, chili is more properly known as chili con carne (literally “peppers with meat”), and is nothing more than a stew containing chili peppers and meat. That’s it! That’s the only real definition there is: Stewed peppers with meat (and you don’t even have to use meat).  What defines chili is not the ingredients that are used, but the spices that season it and its delicious taste.

Below is a very simple vegetarian chili recipe that you can make using minimal ingredients.

Chili Ingredients:

• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 can drained black beans
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of diced chili peppers
• Diced onion (approximately half an onion)
• Chili powder, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and cumin

The Process:

1. In a large pot, mix your beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, stirring over medium – medium high heat.
2. If the veggies look a little dry, add some water. There are no rules here; add as much or as little water as you want.
3. As the mixture heats up, mix in chili powder, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and cumin to taste. Again, there are no rules. Add as much or as little as you like.
4. When the mixture is good and hot (beginning to bubble), you have a choice: Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a while–thereby thickening the stew–or remove it from the heat while it’s still a little soupy and serve it with cornbread. It’s up to you. Either way, enjoy your chili.

Wait! What would chili be without cornbread?

You’re right: What WOULD chili be without cornbread?  Fortunately, we have you covered.

Cornbread Ingredients:

• 1-2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix OR some cornbread mix scooped out of a bag of cornbread mix (Tip: 1 bag of cornbread mix will make a lot of cornbread; if you plan to cook cornbread regularly, buy the bag; if you just want to try it occasionally, the smaller boxes of mix might be the way for you to go)
• Egg(s)
• Vegetable oil
• Water or milk

The Process:

1. Follow the instructions on the back of the box of Jiffy or bag of mix.

It’s that simple, but if you want some more elaboration, here you go:

1. Most cornbread recipes call for you to mix the cornmeal with water, oil, an egg or two, and a few Tablespoons of sugar.
2. Pour the batter into a cake pan or cast iron skillet of some kind.
3. Bake it in the oven at the temperature specified on the back of the cornmeal box/bag.

Cornbread is very simple, cheap food; it was (and still is) popular throughout the Southern United States because of the inexpensive nature of cornmeal and the ease with which cornbread can be baked.

When you pull your cornbread out of the oven, slice it up, drop a wedge of it into your bowl of chili, and enjoy.