As we approach Super Bowl weekend, I would like to extend some good karma to The New England Patriots by offering up my Blue Ribbon chili recipe.  I call this chili "Blue Ribbon" because I gave the recipe to a friend of mine whose idea of cooking is opening the freezer door.  She called me one evening fretting as she thought it would be fun to enter a Chili-fest, but realized she would actually have to cook something and didn't have a recipe.  Out of guilt I offered her my recipe which got her 1st prize out of 20 other entrants.  Like The Patriots, it is a winner.

Makes 8 servings

6 ounces of hot Italian sausage

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

8 garlic cloves, minced

1lb. ground sirloin

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

2 Tblsp chili powder

2 Tblsp brown sugar

1 Tblsp ground cumin

3 Tbls tomato paste

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 bay leaves

1 1/4 cups Merlot

2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped

2 15 ounce cans kidney beans, drained

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.  Remove casings from sausage.  Add sausage and next 5 ingredients (onion - jalapeno) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

2. Add chili powder and next 7 ingredients (brown sugar - bay leaves) and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in wine, tomatoes and kidney beans; bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat for 1 hour; stirring occasionally.

3. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaves.  Serve in bowls, topping with cheddar.