Ingredients

• 1 finely chopped onion
• 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 piece of bacon cut crosswise into pieces
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
•2 cans of cannelloni, pinto or red kidney beans
• 1 ½ teaspoons of dried crushed oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoons of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
• 3 cups of water
• Coarse salt
• 3/4 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese or cheddar (shredded)
• 2 tablespoons of fine cornmeal
• 1 ½ cups of chopped winter squash or zucchini
• 1 ½ cups of frozen or fresh kernel corn (whole)

Directions

The fine cornmeal is use to thicken the chili and the bacon adds a smoky flavor to this bean-based chili. You can also serve lime wedges on the side for an extra bit of garnish flair

Begin by cooking the bacon in a chili pot over medium heat until browning happens. Begin to add the onion, garlic, paprika, pepper, oregano, beans and salt into the chili pot. Stir this mixture occasionally for about 10-15 minutes. It is good to mash up the beans a bit.

Mix the fine cornmeal with water, corn, squash or zucchini and bring the pot to boil. Begin to reduce the heat and keep stirring until the chili become thick and the veggies are softer. If you find that your chili is a bit dry you can add water to make it most again as well as many spices to jazz it up! Start serving your winter chili and dress up each bowl with some cheddar cheese. Add some freshly baked cornbread, and your meal is complete!