Environmental Economics

Everyone always asks me for my very mild chili recipe (actually, I've only gotten one request but, still, it is worth a blog post on the coldest night of year at halftime of the football game). I'm somewhat of a chili expert having worked one summer (and, secret, part of a fall) at Brooking's Chili King in Lexington so here it is:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 – 35 oz can tomato puree
• 1 – 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 – 15 oz cans of kidney beans

Grill the onions and garlic, brown the meat, combine everything in a pot and turn heat up to medium. Once a couple of bubbles pop, turn the heat down to medium-low and stir often for about two hours. Serve with some combination of spaghetti, chopped onions, oyster crackers and shredded cheese.