This is my favorite Cincinnati style chili recipe.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (12 ounce) package frozen burger-style crumbles
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)


DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Saute onion until tender. Mix in burger-style crumbles and garlic; cook until the crumbles have browned.
Stir in tomato sauce, water, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, chili powder, cinnamon, paprika, allspice, light brown sugar, cocoa, and hot sauce. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until sauce thickens.
While the sauce is thickening, bring a large pot of salted water to boil; place spaghetti in the water and bring it to a boil again. Cook until al dente. Drain well.
Stir beans into the chili and mix lightly.
Spoon cooked spaghetti into bowls and top with chili. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

It's from a website, but I followed this recipe exactly and I had no problems with it.
Source(s):
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cincinnati-Style-Chili/Detail.aspx

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This is easy, if you know what Skyline Chili was derived from! It's actually Greek. The founder of the restaurant had tried selling Greek food but it was too different back then, and didn't fly. He looked around for something Greek that could resemble something popular with Americans at the time (the 40's). He came up with revamping Pasticcio, a popular Greek dish, into chili, which was very popular in an exotic way (kind of like tacos were in the 70's). Other "Cincinnati" types of chili had started as far back as the 20's.

Take a look at this recipe, and then at the recipe for the meat/tomato sauce, and you'll find it's got the same flavor as Cincinnati-style chilis. I also find it interesting that it happens in four steps (can you say Four Way?), and one of them is pasta and another is cheese! Instead of the bechamel sauce Skyline and other places offer sour cream; instead of Greek cheeses it's cheddar: that's how they Americanized Greek Pasticcio.
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