Campari tomatoes are a brand that is available here in the southeastern United States. They are bright red and have a remarkable flavor for tomatoes from the grocery store. If you can’t get Camparis, use the tastiest tomato you can find.

I know y’all are on the collective edges of your seats over the Matilda saga…but you are going to have to wait another week. Today we are going to discuss a very divisive hot topic in the world of chili….beans

Many chili aficionados are of the opinion that real chili should never have beans in it. People get into heated debates on this issue and the “Beans” vs. “No Beans” arguments can get quite animated.

I believe the “No Bean” camp is centered in the great state of Texas. From what I understand, real Texans would rather eat tofu than have a single bean in their chili. My Dad was born and raised in Texas. We had many man-to-man talks as I was growing up but the issue of beans or no beans in chili never came up. Alas, my Dad passed away when I was 14 so I will never learn his opinion on the “Beans” v. “No Beans” debate and whether my assumptions about real Texans on this issue are correct.

I do recall having chili now and then when we were growing up and I think beans were included, but I can’t be sure. My Mom was great at stretching food. We would have a roast beef on Sunday…left over roast on Monday…roast beef hash on Tuesday…and something my Mom called “goulash” in Wednesday made from the last scraps of the roast beef and whatever else was in the fridge that needed to be eaten. Given our “don’t waste a morsel of food” family tradition, I am pretty sure beans were included in the chili just to make it stretch.

I am pretty much neutral on what constitutes real chili but I know what I like to eat…and, despite my Texas roots, I like beans in my chili. If chili is historically supposed to be made without beans, than I can accept that. If I am committing a high chili crime by using beans in my recipe than I am guilty as charged.

You see, I like all kinds of beans...pinto beans, red beans, black beans...pretty much any beans out there. I think beans add texture, color and flavor to any dish and especially chili so I like to add them. If you don’t like beans in chili, just leave them out…and please, no hate mail about my including beans in the chili recipe.

God Bless America.

Enjoy!