Cincinnati Chili

Cincinnati Chili
Recipe from The Finlinsons

*It seems a little intimidating because of all the ingredients but it's actually pretty easy. To make faster you can use pre-cooked, frozen ground beef. I can also make this a pre-made mix with all the spices and powders. Also, this recipe needs to simmer for an hour, so prepare ahead of time.

1 ½ lbs. ground beef
2 vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. cocoa
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 c. tomato sauce
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained with a small amount of oil or butter mixed in

Toppings (optional):

Shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese
Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Onion, chopped
Fresh tomato, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Green onion, chopped
Avocado
Sour cream

Brown ground beef (or thaw pre-cooked ground beef) and drain and set aside. Set a large pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and browned around the edges (about 8 min.). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 min.). Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, black pepper and salt. Cook, stirring constantly until the spices are fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in the broth, water, vinegar, sugar and tomato sauce. Add cooked ground beef. Bring chili to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Turn down to medium/low heat and let simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti and add toppings.