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I am not big into the Super Bowl, but I hear that chili is often a big part of game day parties. This is a very quick version which is just as tasty as a chili that has simmered on the stove for hours. And this one really does take about half an hour to prepare. And I see no reason why this recipe could not be doubled or even tripled to feed a crowd. The only thing is that you will likely need to puree half the beans and tomatoes in batches, if you more than double it. Two cans of beans and two cans of tomatoes are about all that your average sized food processer can handle. As long as you have a large enough pot to handle it, you are good to go. I’d also suggest simmering it a bit longer if making more than one recipe’s worth.
As the recipe card suggested, I made cornbread to have with this. The cornbread recipe I used called for 1/2 cup of frozen corn. I had bought a 16 ounce bag of it, and I threw the rest into the chili as it simmered. It came out great!
The best way to bake cornbread is in a cast iron skillet, I used a 10-inch one here.
Black Skillet Cornbread
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk*
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
2 pickled jalapeno peppers, minced
4 tablespoons butter, meltedPreheat oven to 375º F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
Combine the egg with the buttermilk, and mix this into the dry ingredients. Mix in corn, 2/3 cup of the cheese, and jalapenos. Then add the butter and and mix together until just combined.
Spread the batter into the prepared skillet. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. Let cool for a bit before slicing into wedges and serving.
*If you do not have buttermilk, pour about a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a 1 cup measure. Add regular milk to make 1 cup. Let stand for at least five minutes. The lemon juice/vinegar will *sour* the milk and cause it to thicken.
When you serve the chili and cornbread, be sure to have lots of toppings – sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced scallions and/or regular onions, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, sliced jalapenos (either fresh or the jarred picked variety). Enjoy, and GO PATS!
Oh…the Pats are not in the Super Bowl? My bad! 
