Adventures In Cooking: Texas Chili

Gunslinger Jack's Texas Chili Recipe

2 pounds of good quality organic ground beef
2 cans organic tomato paste
6 cubes beef bullion
2 cubes chicken bullion
3 cups water
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (the Lea & Perrins English recipe is preferred because it doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this produces a fairly mild chili, but if you like it hot, add more)

Cooking the Chili

1. Put water, tomato paste, bullion, sugar and spices in a pot and heat on medium low (number 2 on most cook tops) while stirring to blend bullion and tomato paste.

2. Brown beef in a skillet using a dicer or sharp edged spatula to mince as it cooks, then drain fat.

3. Add beef to pot.

4. Cook at medium-low (2) for at least four hours stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks, the better the texture.

5. Taste and add additional spices and water as needed. You will probably not need to add salt. Chili should be very thick, but not quite so thick that a spoon will stand up in the bowl.

6. Top with cubed extra sharp cheddar cheese and serve with tortillas, tortilla chips, or french bread.

7. The chili is even better the next day. If you have leftovers, refrigerate in glass bowls, don't use plastic or metal because the acids in the chili will cause chemical or metallic leaching contamination. Reheat on the stovetop at medium low. Do not microwave - it will alter the taste.

Places Worth Visiting: The Montvale Hotel Spokane, Washington

Photo by S.E.W. 2008

If you are on the West Coast and find yourself on your way to the great Rocky Mountains of Idaho and Montana stop for the night in Spokane, Washington. It is a medium sized town on the freeway to better things, not much to look at initially, but if you stop over for the night you might be surprised at what you find.

There are a number of hotels in Spokane. Most are of the dingy rubber-stamp variety you can find at any freeway stop. But if you want a real unique experience, stay at the Montvale Hotel. Decorated like a first class hotel from a hundred years ago, the Montvale manages to evoke a genuine sense of nostalgia without the campy fakeness one usually finds at boutique hotels. The proprietors have done an outstanding job of restoring the architecture of the building that houses the hotel, and even the lobby has an authentic retrospective quality. When you aren’t resting in the beautiful tall ceilinged rooms, or dinning in the delightful adjoining restaurant, take some time to stroll the atrium. It is filled with beautiful antiques, old books, and quiet places to sit with your coffee and read.

Photo by S.E.W. 2008

You can visit the Montvale Hotel at 1005 W 1st Ave, Spokane, WA (509) 747-1919 or online at montvalehotel.com.

Before you get back on the freeway take a few minutes to visit Spokane’s River Front Park. In addition to a carousel, an ice rink, and an Imax theater, the park features a spectacular view of the Spokane River falls. These natural falls run through a Kaplan Turbine at the Monroe Street Dam producing almost fifteen megawatts of power at what is the longest running hydroelectric facility in the state.