Sunday Runday: Mexican Chili

You guys - this running with friends thing is quickly turning into a habit.  Sunday found me hitting the coast again, this time with Jurisslave.  And this time she was the one saying how quickly the five miles passed.  And we both talked about how we take living by the water for granted as we looked out over a very calm ocean.

This time Thatboy and Thatbaby hung out on the beach, playing with balls and bubbles - still Thatbaby's favorites.  And when I joined them we did a little tide-pooling.  I'm glad we got out Sunday morning, because my Sunday afternoon, it started raining.  Blech.

Luckily, our Cinco de Mayo feast was something warm for the tummy - chili!  I know, chili doesn't strike you as something particularly Mexican.  But add some guajillo chiles and corona and voila!

Thatbaby agrees.  Delicious chili.  I would say he inherited my chili love, but we all know it's really the beans.  Which is still his favorite.

Thatboy and I also enjoyed some homemade margaritas.  I added some raspberry lemonade to them and Thatboy thought it was one of the smartest ideas ever.  He started calling them "Pink Ladies."  Yes, a real man drinks pink beverages.

Mexican Chili

2 allspice berries

1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 lb stewing beef

salt and pepper

2 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 cup coffee

1 bottle of corona

1 Tbsp cornmeal

1 Tbsp molasses

1 can kidney beans

1. In a small skillet, toast allspice, coriander, cumin, and chiles until fragrant.
2. Grind in a coffee grinder until finely ground.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown.  Set beef aside.
4. Add onion and garlic Dutch oven and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
5. Add tomato paste and chili powder mixture.  Cook until fragrant.
6. Place onion mixture with coffee, corona, cornmeal, molasses, kidney beans, beef, and 2 cups of water in a slow cooker.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.