Football season is something I look forward to every year, like Thanksgiving or my birthday. The weeks leading up to the start are filled with excitement and anticipation as sports news outlets report from training camp and give their opinion on how my team will fare. Of course, I root for the Eagles but I do have another favorite team that I represent each week (I promise, though, it’s not the Cowboys, the Redskins, or the Giants.)

Though I love football enough to sit attentively and watch each quarter, sometimes only leaving my chair to jump up and cheer, my other reason for being so passionate about the pigskin is the food I associate with it. Around this time of year, food magazines and online recipe archives begin to include sections dedicated to dishes perfect for a friendly gathering to watch the game. With all of the choices, from various flavors of wings to hotdogs wrapped in just about anything, there aren’t enough weeks in the season to make everything I would like to.

One item that will always make the cut is this recipe for beef and bean chili. As long as I serve it, I can confidently please a hungry crowd, even if the game goes into overtime.

Beef and Bean Chili

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup of shredded carrots
• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 2 Tablespoons oregano
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 2 cans red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 can beef broth

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a very large pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and cook until just softened and mix in carrots; cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove to a large bowl and add ground beef to pot. Stir occasionally and cook until browned. Drain fat from pot and add spices and onion and carrot mixture. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally. Flavor with salt and pepper, as needed.

For some reason, making chili has always intimidated me. Perhaps it has something to do with the annual “cook offs” that take place all over the country, or maybe because I know several people that have a family recipe. I’ve tried in the past to produce an authentic pot, only to be left with a soupy mix that wouldn’t dare have the honor of being called chili.

This recipe officially squelched my chili fears. I may be a carnivore, but I love any dish that takes advantage of not only the nutritional value of vegetables, but also the flavor and texture they add. This is a meat chili, but without the veggies it wouldn’t be nearly as delicious. The two varieties of beans thicken the dish and help avoid the soupy mess I couldn’t avoid in the past.  The spices are the all-star team assigned to complement the meat, beans and veggies. The cinnamon and cumin are a perfect pair and add a smoky flavor while the cayenne pepper gives the chili an ideal amount of lingering heat.

A concoction packed with veggies and protein, this beef and bean chili will satisfy the appetite of a hungry crowd or even an entire football team. My chili intimidation has suddenly turned from fear to fearless and I’m pretty excited to add this dish to my own family recipes.  Much like a Super Bowl winning team, every ingredient does its job to make this a dish worthy of a trophy.

Casey Ann is a local foodie and blogger. Check out her recipes and reviews at www.cleanpl8.com.