1. Will it be a traditional bowl of red, tomato-based chili?
2. A white chili? (Made with white beans and usually chicken parts, white chili is fairly recent to the chili party, but has many recipes to its credit, including one reportedly credited to country superstar Willie Nelson.)
3. Beans or no beans? (One of the most hotly debated chili issues is the use of beans within chili. According to the International Chili Society, beans are expressly forbidden to be used in a pot of chili. Since, however, we're not cooking in competition, we won't tell anyone if you decide to crack open a can of kidneys to stretch your recipe.)
4. Meatless?

No matter what you decide, it's possible to make a really good pot of the stuff!

First, let's get the ingredients together.

• For the chili:

1. 1 lb. Ground beef
2. 1 lb. Ground pork
3. 1 8oz. Canned tomato sauce (or Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Chile)
4. 2 Bottles of your favorite beer (OPTIONAL)
5. 2 Cups plus ½ cup water
6. 1 Tbsp Cumin
7. 1 Tbsp Oregano
8. 1 Tbsp Paprika
9. 1 Tsp Cinnamon
10. Onion, garlic powder, and salt to taste
11. 2 Tbsp Masa flour

For the chili toppings

1. Chopped onions
2. Shredded cheese (Jack or cheddar works best)
3. Sour cream
4. Fresh cilantro (optional)
5. Lime (optional)

Next, make sure you have the right equipment.

1. Large Dutch oven or stockpot w/lid
2. Can opener
3. 1 large mixing bowl
4. 1 large mixing spoon
5. 1 small bowl
6. Wire whisk
7. Bowls for serving

• Prep Time: About 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: About 45 minutes

1. Mix ground beef and ground pork in mixing bowl to incorporate them. Do not overmix. (If the meat is mixed to a pasty consistency, it will brown as one lump. We want crumbles!) NOTE: For vegetarian chili, substitute vegetables for meat, and sautee until the vegetables sweat before adding the liquid below.
2. Add the meat mixture to the Dutch oven or stockpot and brown on medium heat until meat is no longer pink. This should take about five minutes.
3. Drain fat from the meat.
4. Add 2 cups water, one of the beers, and 8 oz. tomato sauce to mixture. Stir to incorporate. (Note: If not using beer, you can use the equivalent amount of water, or add a little beef broth for flavor)
5. Add spices to mixture, and bring chili to a gentle boil. Stir again.
6. Turn heat down to let chili simmer. Add second bottle of beer. Stir.
7. Stir and cover chili, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together Masa flour and ½ cup water to make a slurry.The consistency of the slurry should be mostly liquid. If too thick, add more water and whisk.
9. Add flour/water mixture to chili and cook through to eliminate flour taste. This should take two, maybe three minutes.

1. Replace the meat in the above recipe with one, or a combination of the following, to make a total of three cups, chopped:
2. Portobello mushrooms
3. Zucchini
4. Corn kernels
5. Squash
6. Bell pepper