There are two options when it comes to chili. You can make it on the stovetop, or you can do it in a slow cooker.My aunt gave me my first slow cooker this past Christmas and now that I have it, I can't imagine not using it, especially for chili. The advantages of using a slow cooker are that you can prepare everything in advance, i.e. the night before; like your significant other when he's engrossed in the game, it doesn't need attention as it cooks, and you can serve your chili hot all day long straight out of the slow cooker. The advantages of making chili on the stovetop are...well, nothing. My choice for chili (now) will always be in a slow cooker.
If you don't have a slow-cooker, it wouldn't be a bad idea to invest in one now, though "invest" makes it sound like they're expensive. They're not. The one I have is a medium-sized one by Rival, which costs under $50. You can go higher end with brands like Cuisinart, but it isn't worth it to pay more for a name, If you're willing to pay more, pay for size and features.
And of course, if your slow cooker is making an appearance at a tailgate or Super Bowl Party, then there's always the ever-so-classy Pro Pots football-shaped Slow Cooker!
Yesterday over on the 
For those of you not familiar with this Portuguese sausage, it's pronounced Ling-GWEES-a. I was waiting tables in a pizza place about 20 years ago and a tourist asked me what this "Linguicka" was.
When it gets chilly out, there is nothing more appealing than a hot bowl of soup or a big serving of chili or stew. Soup is comfort food that warms you up instantly and, by and large, is easy to prepare. 
This week, we not only find out which store-bought
marinara sauce is the best, but we also find out just what the hell that is in the picture on the right (at first I
thought it was something from Lileks' 
Cakes so amazing they'd be hard to cut into
Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
Morbid thoughts? Have a cookie
