October 1, 2026 • By Mrs. Delores “Nana” Whitaker, Southern Kitchen Correspondent
The 4th Quarter Chili
Well, honey, we’ve made it to the fourth quarter.
The weather is getting cooler, there’s football on the television, and around here, that means one thing: it’s tailgate and chili season.
Now, I know there are all kinds of opinions about chili. Some folks put beans in it, some don’t. Some like it spicy enough to make you sweat through your sweater, and some like it mild enough that the grandchildren and great-grandchildren can eat it.
Me?
I like a good, hearty chili that sticks to your ribs and makes everybody wander into the kitchen asking, “Nana, when’s supper?”
And I’ve been making this one for decades, no complaints.
It’s nothing fancy. In fact, most of what you need may already be sitting in your pantry. That’s the way I like things. If I have to make three trips to the grocery store just to make supper, I’m liable to change the menu altogether.
Nana’s Southern Chili
You’ll Need:
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup beef broth
For serving:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Crackers or cornbread
Now Here’s How I Make It
Start by browning your ground beef in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s nearly done, add your onion and bell pepper and let everything cook together until the vegetables are tender.
Add your garlic and cook for another minute. Don’t let the garlic get too hot and scorch; it gives it a terrible flavor.
Now drain off any excess grease. We want chili, not a grease slick.
Add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
Then stir in the chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne if you’re feeling brave.
Add the brown sugar and beef broth and give everything a good stir.
Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down low and let that pot simmer for at least 30 minutes.
Now, if you ask me, thirty minutes is the minimum.
If you’ve got the time, let it simmer for an hour or even longer. Stir it every now and then and give it a taste. Sometimes it needs another pinch of salt. Sometimes it needs a little more chili powder.
And sometimes you just need to leave it alone.
That’s good advice for chili.
It’s also good advice for life.
The Fourth Quarter
The best thing about chili is that you don’t have to fuss over it once it’s on the stove.
And that’s exactly what you want when the football game is on, and the kids are running around.
Get your chili started before kickoff. Put out a bowl of shredded cheese, some sour cream, green onions, and crackers. If you’ve got a skillet of cornbread sitting nearby, even better.
Then when the fourth quarter rolls around, you can fill a bowl, sit down, and enjoy the game.
There’s something about a pot of chili on the stove and football on the television that just feels like fall in the South.
And speaking of the fourth quarter…
I’ve learned that business is a little like football.
You can’t wait until the last quarter to look at the scoreboard and wonder how you’re doing.
The same goes for your books.
If you’re a small-business owner, a farmer, or you’re running a construction business, you need to know what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where you stand before the year is nearly over.
That’s where good bookkeeping comes in.
Southern Grace Ledgers can help keep those numbers organized throughout the year, so when the fourth quarter arrives, you aren’t scrambling to figure out what happened during the first three.
Keep an eye on your books just like you keep an eye on the scoreboard.
You’ll be glad you did.
You’ll be glad you did.
Yes, I know it is Thursday, but there is such a thing as Amazon Thursday Night Football.
And if I happen to find myself sitting down with a bowl before the fourth quarter starts…
Well, honey, that’s nobody’s business but mine.
Until next time, keep your pot warm, your people close, and your books in order.
Now, where did I put that spoon?
— Nana
Nana’s Tip of the Week:
-Make sure you are stirring the chili if you have it simmering on the stove. (Kinfolks and family have a way of getting you off track.)
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