By Kathryn Reed

Tired of turkey? Tired of cooking? Still want the house to be filled with an enticing aroma?

Chili – it’s the answer to all of those questions. Yes, it will take a bit of cooking, but nothing like a Thanksgiving dinner.

This is the quintessential winter meal. And with winter having settled into Lake Tahoe it’s already been served up in our house.

Sue is the chili maker. Although most of the ingredients below go into her concoction each time, sometimes there are substitutes when something isn’t in a cupboard. I’ll admit I like it best when she puts in a few extra dashes of the spices.

It’s perfect when she starts the process in the morning and it simmers all day. The aroma gets more intense as the hours go by. As much as it’s making me hungry, I stop eating. I want to save myself for dinner.

She often serves the chili with a little grated cheese on top. A dollop of sour cream would make it even more decadent. Served with a green salad, corn bread and Sam Adams makes for a perfect meal.

The great thing about chili is that it is even better the next day. And if a bowl isn’t what you are craving, consider the chili as a topping on a baked potato. Another great alternative is putting scrambled eggs in a tortilla and adding some chili.

Sue claims this will serve 10, but I’m not so sure based on how many ladles we consume in one sitting.

Sue’s Crockpot Chili

1 C corn (frozen or canned)

12 oz. ground beef or soy ground

1 C yellow onion, chopped

1 large can chopped olives

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

2 15 oz. cans kidney beans

1 tomato, chopped

1 15 oz. can chili beans

2 dashes chili oil

2 dashes chili powder

1 dash cayenne pepper

1 dash salt

Throw all items in crockpot like confetti and let the celebratory mix do its stuff. Cook on high for two hours. Simmer at least four hours.