Cincinnati by Way of Illinois Chili

I thought it was high time that Cincinnati Chili takes a little trip to Illinois and spend some time with me in my Kudos Kitchen. 🙂

*Disclaimer - This recipe was originally published in 2013. I'm working hard to update all my older recipes with recipe cards and additional recipe information, but getting to all of them will take time. Please bear with me. In the meantime let me assure you that this recipe is still a winner and one I'm sure you'll be well pleased with when you make it at home.

What can I say? If you don't already know me, let me explain a little something to you. I, can't, not, play around with a recipe and make it my own.

I adapted this recipe from a cookbook by Marlene Koch called "Eat More Of What You Love" and it's almost completely changed from its original form. As always, to me, cookbooks are just a starting point.

After that, I let my creativity take over!  It's what keeps cooking fun and exciting for me and so it never ever gets boring!

When reading through the ingredients, don't let the unusual list of herbs and spices scare you away.

Some of them may seem strange to you when cooking a savory dish, but let me guarantee that they all work deliciously together.

There is an amazing depth of smoky-sweet flavor here that will wake up each and every one of your taste buds! I completely guarantee it!

CINCINNATI by Way of Illinois CHILI      {PRINT RECIPE HERE}
Servings: 8              Prep time: 20 minutes              Bake time: 20 minutes

½ pound bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red pepper, seeded and medium chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon allspice
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 (29 ounces) can of tomato puree
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
½ cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1  16 ounce box Rotini pasta that has been cooked and drained
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 - 5 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

-In a large Dutch oven, over medium/high heat, cook the bacon until just shy of crumbly. Drain off some (but not all) of the bacon grease.

-Add in the ground beef and cook until slightly browned, stirring occasionally.

-Add in the chopped onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook the mixture for an additional 3-4 minutes and then reduce the heat to medium/low, stirring occasionally.

-Add the next 10 ingredients and stir well to combine.

-Carefully add the tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and beef broth. Cover and stir occasionally. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

-Prepare a 9x13 casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray and layer in the cooked Rotini pasta.

-Ladle the chili sauce evenly over the cooked pasta and top with the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and sprinkle the green onions over the top just before serving.