By Sarah Brookbank

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Football season is in full swing and Kentucky weather is finally starting to get colder. While tailgating for UK football games isn’t ideal with the team’s losing streak, you can eat this chili in the safety of your own home while watching NFL games, and fending off the chilly weather.

The recipe can make a lot, so grab some friends to help you eat it while you watch the game. It can be topped with a variety of crackers, sour cream, shredded cheese, or chopped onions. Grab a spoon, a scarf and your favorite team’s jersey, and enjoy some classic chili.

Serious Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 can kidney beans

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

Chili powder mix

1 tbs Cinnamon

1 tbs sugar

Can of beer­­ — budwiser, bud lite or PBR, etc. (optional)

Toppings-

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Oyster crackers

In a large pot, sauté onions in beer

Add ground beef and cook

Once cooked add chili powder, cinnamon, sugar, stir

Add all canned products (don’t drain) and stir

Let the chili cook on low heat for about an hour

Add pepper, salt and more sugar or cinnamon to taste

Serve hot with toppings and enjoy the rest of your beer

Serious Tex-Mex Chili

Substitute 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (Rotel)

Substitute 1 can black beans

1 pack Taco seasoning

1/2 pack ranch seasoning

1/2 bag frozen corn

In a large pot, sauté onions in beer

Add ground beef and cook

Once cooked add all of the taco seasoning and half of the ranch powder

Add all canned products (don’t drain) and corn, stir

Let the chili cook on low heat for about an hour

Add pepper, salt and more sugar or cinnamon to taste

Serve hot with toppings and enjoy the rest of your beer

This recipe is a modification of the standard chili recipe. While both are easy and delicious to make, the corn adds a bright burst of flavor and color. This recipe goes great with hot sauce and tortilla chips as a topping. Don’t forget the sour cream and cheese.