I made it exactly by the recipe, including the cloves. I saved out enough of the batch for supper that night and processed the rest (a full canner load). I had never used the dried beans (rehydrated per the recipe) before, and thought they tasted rather bland in the unprocessed supper batch of chili. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened one of the processed jars--the flavors and texture were much improved and matured by the pressure canning. If you do a taste test prior to processing and are thinking of adjusting the seasonings--I would wait. You can always adjust seasonings after opening the jars, but you can't take it back once you put it in! I've heard that cloves can give a strong taste in canning, but this is a small amount in the recipe. It does NOT give it a clove taste, and after tasting it, I doubt I could even identify that it had cloves in it. On the other hand, when I make this again, I won't leave it out because the whole recipe works as-is. I hope you like it as much as I did. Jill

I was with a friend last night who made this for dinner - it was fantastic and I can't wait to make it in my kitchen. Definitely a keeper... Alexa ************************************************************ Vegetarian Chili Verde Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis Total Time:2 hr 10 minPrep:40 minInactive:10 minCook:1 hr 20 min Yield:4 to 6 servings Level:Easy Ingredients 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion One 8-ounce Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes One 8-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes 4 large cloves garlic, flattened, peeled and chopped 4 large tomatillos (8 to 9 ounces), husked, rinsed, cored and chopped 2 large poblano chiles (8 to 9 ounces), stemmed, seeded; 1 diced, 1 cut into 4 strips 2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cumin seeds Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper One 28-ounce can hominy with juices (preferably golden) 1 cup vegetable broth One 7-ounce can diced mild green chiles Garnishes, such as crumbled feta cheese, chopped green onions, sliced avocados, lime wedges and chopped serrano chiles) Directions Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, potatoes, yams, garlic, tomatillos and poblanos. Cover and sweat until the onions are tender, stirring often to prevent browning, about 8 minutes. Mix in the oregano, flour, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the hominy with the juices and the broth and bring the chili to a simmer. Place the green chiles in a processor. Using tongs, transfer strips of the poblano chile from the pot to the processor; blend just until smooth. Scrape the chile sauce into the pot. Cover and simmer the chili 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the potatoes and yams are tender and the chili is reduced to desired consistency, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Here is a link that might be useful: Giada's Vegetarian Chili Verde

I've posted this one a couple of times before. It is a really good non-sweet cornbread. Real Cornbread From Butter Beans to Blackberries by Ronni Lundy 4 tablespoons drippings 2 cups fine ground white cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 large egg 1 and 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk Turn the oven on to 450 degrees. When it starts to get hot, put the drippings in a 9 inch cast iron skillet (or small cake pan, but a skillet is what you really want). Put the skillet in the oven and let it get really hot while you mix up the batter. Mix cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder together well in a bowl. Add the egg and milk and stir until just blended. Don't beat. Remove the skillet from the oven and very carefully swirl the drippings around the pan to coat the inside. Drippings should be bubbly. If you're using butter and it's browned a bit, that fine. It'll make the cornbread yummy! Pour the drippings into the cornbread batter, stir just enough to incorporate, pour the batter back into the skillet and pop into the oven. It will take 20-25 minutes for it to turn brown around the edges and get firm in the middle. Remove and turn upside down on a sturdy plate to turn the cornbread out. (If it sticks, you can serve it straight from the pan.) Pass while it's hot. Jim

This is my favorite recipe but it calls for filet mignon so I save this one for when we may have guests (we sponsor local college students who often come for dinner, or if dh is having a couple friends over for a football game, etc). A friend of mine gave me the recipe - she found it online and made it for a chili cookoff and everyone raved about it. It apparently originated at Gallagher's Steak House in NYC. Please note that this is obviously for a large group. I either halve the recipe when I make it or I freeze half of it. I also don't think I use nearly that much butter, nor do I add any at the end like it calls for. Gallagher's Guinness & Filet Mignon Chili Gallagher's Guinness Stout & Filet Mignon Chili CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com Serves/Makes: 15 | Ready In: 30-60 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup salted butter 1 pound filet mignon, cut in 1/4-inch dice 5 pounds ground sirloin 2 cups onion, cut in 1/4-inch dice 1 chile pepper, seeds and veins removed, cut in 1/8-inch dice 1/2 cup Guinness stout 1/4 cup flour 2 cups crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup tomato paste 4 cups beef stock 1 cup black beans, cooked or canned (rinsed and drained) 1 cup kidney beans, cooked or canned (rinsed and drained) 1/2 cup chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons ground white pepper 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ***Garnish*** sour cream diced red onions diced bell pepper shredded cheddar cheese diced tomatoes chopped fresh cilantro Directions: Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add half the butter. When melted add the filet mignon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add the ground sirloin and cook until no longer pink. Remove the meat and set aside. Drain off all but 2-3 tablespoons of grease from the pan. Add the onion and chile pepper to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is soft. Return the meat to the pan and add the Guinness. Bring to a boil for one minute. Add the flour, stirring constantly for one minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock. Stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the black and kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, white pepper, and brown sugar. Let simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir the chili occasionally. Add the remaining butter and cheddar cheese. Stir well until the butter is incorporated and the cheese is melted. Serve hot. Place in individual bowls and garnish with sour cream, onions, bell pepper, cheese, tomatoes, and/or fresh cilantro.