I love chili! The hotter, the better. It’s an taste addiction that I inherited from one of my favorite bosses, Bill. He was my first job fresh out of University and was like a father to me. We would compete for who could take it spicier! His wife introduced me to the best chili I’ve ever tasted. She would occasionally bring food for us at the office and her chili quickly became a recipe I just had to master. She said the recipe came to her by accident: she reached into the cupboard and pulled out the wrong spice… and her 5 alarm chili was born (the secret spice was cumin!).

5 Alarm Chili

2 pounds ground beef
28 ounce can diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
19 ounce can red kidney beans
6 tablespoons ground chili pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Brown meat in large saucepan. Add diced tomatoes. Mix well. Stir in all spices, and simmer on low heat for about an hour. Add kidney beans and simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheddar.