{recipe} hearty spicy chili stew

Is there anything more relaxing than cooking a huge pot of chili with all of the windows open on a beautiful fall day? Um.. let's add listening to the Mumford & Sons Pandora station on the surround sound. Yup. That's what I'm talking about. 

For my family, yesterday was not only Halloween. It was also my parents' 30th wedding anniversary! They are truly even more in love today than they were 30 years ago at their wedding. They are precious. :)

We enjoyed our Halloween evening out on the patio with a bottle of Dutton Goldfield Zinfandel and this delicious chili stew. I'm calling it chili stew because it has all of the makings of a chili but we like to use stew meat around here. After dinner we went outside, sat on our driveway, drank a beer, and handed out candy to the kids in our neighborhood. Pretttty awesome Halloween if you ask me!

Hearty Spicy Chili Stew:

Ingredients:

• 4 lb. beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (my grocery store sells "beef for stew" already cut into chunks.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bottle of beer (I used a Yuengling Black & Tan)
• 10 oz. beef broth
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 4 jalapeno chilies, seeded & minced
• 1/4-1/2 cup chili powder, to taste
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
• 2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
• salt to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, brown beef in olive oil, stirring constantly. Add beer & beef broth to cover meat. If necessary, add water or more broth to make enough liquid.
2. Add chopped onion and simmer for 30 minutes. 
3. Stir in remaining ingredients (except for corn) and lower heat. Cover and simmer for 3 hours or until meat is tender.
4. Just before serving, stir in frozen corn until warmed through.
5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of tabasco. 

Make sure to stop by tomorrow for a dessert including pecans, bourbon, and pumpkin. :)

xo, Jen