why does chili make your nose run?

[BobHunt]

Must be the seasoning! Anyhow, my sinuses are better!

[Gary Swartzlander]

That must have been some chili. Was it homemade? If so, what did you put in it?

[Brad Mercer]

That must have been some chili. Was it homemade? If so, what did you put in it?

Spoken like a true Yankee. ;-)

The full name for chili is chili con carne, which is Spanish for peppers with meat. Without hot peppers in it, it's not chili; it's just spaghetti sauce or something. Eating hot peppers makes your nose run. It also makes you sweat and makes your head itch. And it allegedly cures all sorts of ailments. It apparently also causes your body to produce endorphines, creating a sensation of pleasure. Man, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Richardson Church of the Nazarene, with an average attendance of around 600, used to have a chili cook-off every year to coincide with Super Bowl Sunday. I won "Best Chili" one year. Most years, though, I found it easier to just shoot for the award for "Hottest Chili". And one year I got the dubious award for "Most Unusual Meat". :p

Brad

[Joel Merrill]

That must have been some chili. Was it homemade? If so, what did you put in it?
Here's my chili recipe. I've been fine tuning it for 30 years. I view most recipes as a starting point. I am always experimenting and I never make it the same way twice. You may want to modify it too but this is pretty good just the way it is written. Sometimes I add 2 cans of beans or 2 kinds of beans. I like it better that way but some people don't. I sometimes add more peppers and get red, yellow and green peppers. I made it last New Years Eve and I put Mexican Velveeta Cheese in it instead of cheddar. It was good but if you do that, cut down on the salt.


Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown Chili by Joel Merrill
Note, all amounts are approximate, I never measure.

2 pounds lean ground beef.
1 16oz can chopped tomatoes. I usually get Mrs Grimm chopped tomatoes with chili seasoning.
1 small can tomato sauce.
1 16oz can of chili beans. I usually buy Mrs Grimm Chili beans in chili sauce.
2 cups frozen corn.
1 bell peppers, chopped.
1 small onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, chopped.
10 to 12 jalapenos, chopped. Don't be afraid of these. Cooked jalapenos are not hot and they add an important Tex/Mex flavor to the chili.
12oz of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded. Don't buy imitation shredded cheese!
4 Tablespoons (no kidding) chili powder.
3 teaspoons, ground cumin. Important! Whole cumin seed will work okay.
2 teaspoons, paprika.
2 teaspoons, oregano.
1 1/2 teaspoon, salt.
1 teaspoon, black pepper.
The amount of red (cayenne) pepper determines how hot the chili will be.
None-Very mild.
1/2 teaspoon, medium.
1 or more teaspoons, hot. Unless you live in Texas.

Steam or brown the ground beef and drain well. The grease will kill you before the spices do. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the cheese, in a 5 quart crock pot, if you have one, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. It will look too thick at first. Do NOT add liquid! It will thin out as it cooks.
If you don't have a 5 quart crock pot, cook it very slowly on top of the stove for around 30 to 45 minutes or until the bell peppers are done. Keep it covered but stir it from time to time.

Just before it is done, stir the cheese right into the chili. It makes it sinfully rich.

Enjoy, Joel

[Gina Stevenson]

OK, Bradford ... you know you can't get away with mentioning "Most Unusual Meat" without telling us what that meat was! Rattlesnake ... squirrel ... 'coon ... 'possum ... :p

Just what was it, eh!? :eek:



And one year I got the dubious award for "Most Unusual Meat". :p

Brad

[Brad Mercer]

OK, Bradford ... you know you can't get away with mentioning "Most Unusual Meat" without telling us what that meat was! Rattlesnake ... squirrel ... 'coon ... 'possum ... :p

Just what was it, eh!? :eek:

Strangely enough, I honestly don't remember, but I don't think it was really as unusual as it tasted. I think it was just a mixture of ground beef and pork sausage. It could have had venison or something in it, though. I don't remember at all.

Brad