There’s nothing better to eat on a cold winter’s day than a bowl of hot, spicy Chili Con Carne. It’s one of America’s favorite wintertime meals. So, it’s only fitting that cold winter’s day is National Chili Day! Chili was believed to be first created in San Antonio, TX. Contrary to popular belief, chili is not common on menus in Mexico.

By definition, the basic chili recipe includes tomatoes, beans, chili pepper, meat (usually hamburger), garlic, onions, and cumin. Then, comes a whole bunch of other possibilities, ingredients that personalize the recipe as our very own. Favorite chili toppings are important, too. They often include cheddar cheese, crackers, cornbread, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of chili recipes. Everyone has their own personal or family recipe with our very secret ingredients to make it blazingly hot. It’s the chili pepper and other hot peppers that puts the fire in the recipe.

The Chili pepper adds both flavor and heat. How much heat, depends upon what hot peppers you add and the amount you use.  Chili peppers can be of many colors, progressing from green to yellow, then orange, and finally red.

Just for the record: Chili Con Carne is defined as a stew with meat. Meatless recipes should be called vegetarian chili or simply “chili”.