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Serves 4 adults.

Controlling the heat: when I make this for adults, I use medium spicy salsa, medium spicy sausage, and 1 tbsp of chili powder. When making it for the kids, I use mild salsa and sausage. The real driver for the heat is the chili powder, followed by the sausage, followed by the salsa.

Ingredients:

• 1 large can tomato sauce
• 1 large jar salsa
• 2 cans pinto beans
• 1 can beer
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 lb. ground italian sausage
• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Jalepeno slices

Preparation:

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet, and heat at medium high. While that's heating, in a large dutch-oven style stock pot, pour in the tomato sauce, salsa, and beer. Drain and add the beans, add the cumin and chili powder, stir, and set to medium-low heat.

Turn the heat on the skillet up to high, and add the garlic. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the ground sirloin. Brown it, breaking it into small chunks as you go. Drain off excess grease, and add to stock pot. Return skillet to heat, add sausage. Brown it, breaking it into small chunks as you go. Drain off excess grease, and add to stock pot.

Bring stock pot to simmer, then turn heat down to medium-low. Cover, and drink beer for anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes (you can go longer, but turn it down to low). If you think about it, stir the chili.

Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream (great for controlling the heat lower) and jalapeno slices (great for controlling the heat higher). Sourdough bread or nacho chips are great with this as well.

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