Modified from Rachael Ray's 30 Minutes Meals
3 tbsp ancho chili powder [okay, she originally used stemmed and seeded ancho chilis - if you can find them great...I couldn't, so I substituted 1 tbsp of ancho chili powder for each ancho chiles....so if you used chiles and did the full recipe, you'd need three ancho chiles.]
1 quart beef stock [cheapo me used beef bullion cubes and water....1 quart is 4 cups in case you didn't know]
1 tbsp oil
4 slices of bacon, chopped [I just used what I had in my freezer rather than her recommendation of lean, smoky bacon...all bacon is smoky!...anyway, I used an extra bit since mine seemed scrawny]
2 pounds ground hamburger [she used sirloin, which would be healthier...I had hamburger in the freezer]
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste [this is just a tiny bit and I buy cans...I'm planning on freezing my extra in tablespoonful size portions for recipes like this and easy use]
1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes [and I did actually buy fire roasted tomatoes]
2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika [if you want a spicier chili, you can use more chili powder - just regular - here...I didn't, so I used the smoked paprika...you could also probably get away with cumin]
1 tablespoon coriander
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder [I used Hershey's - that's what was in my pantry]
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, if necessary [wasn't for me]
shredded cheddar, for topping [we liked this]
finely diced red onion, for topping [we liked this as well]
Now if you are going to use the ancho chiles, you will need to reconstitute them:
Put the chiles in a pot with the stock and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then lower heat to a simmer until softened, about 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, add the anchos with the stock to a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.
I didn't, so what I did was take the beef broth and then just mix in my ancho chili powder and set it aside for later.
Meanwhile, heat the oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat in a large pot. When the oil smokes, add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the meat, raise the heat to high and brown for 8 minutes. Lower the heat a bit, add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 to 6 minutes to soften. Season the meat and onions with black pepper, to taste, (hold off on the salt until the chili is completed due to the addition of the bacon and the stock).
Add the tomato paste to the meat mixture, stir 1 minute, then pour in the ancho stock. Stir in the tomatoes, spices, cocoa and cinnamon. Simmer for a few minutes, adjust the seasoning and add a touch of salt, if needed. [I didn't need to adjust or add salt]
Serves 6 [Rachael's portions are always HUGE...I halved it and we still have plenty of leftovers...so I'd say this serves more than 6....it does depend on how big of eater you are, of course.]
Serve the chili topped with cheese and raw red onions.