State Fair Cooking

The North Carolina State Fair just ended here in Raleigh. I really love the tradition of state fairs, not so much for the fried Twinkies and meth-addicted carnies (sorry), but for this Charlotte's Web-inspired fantasy of wholesome farm-raised kids bringing their pigs, sheep, rabbits, etc. to be judged in the 4-H competitions, sturdy farmers with their prize-winning pumpkins and their hardworking, practical wives with their homemade preserves and some condensed soup casserole creations.  This year I decided to get into the fray by entering a recipe in one of the cooking contests. I entered the NC Apple Growers Association contest. It had to be a main dish made with at least 2 cups of North Carolina grown apples. I didn't win, but here is my recipe. I thought it was pretty yummy.

Smoky Apple Chipotle Chili Serves 10 (Main Dish)

6 strips of applewood smoked bacon, crumbled
2 large NC apples, diced (2 cups)
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 TBS ground red chili powder
1 TBS cumin
1 TBS oregano
3 chipotle chilis, (from one can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce) seeded and minced
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 15 oz. cans of red kidney or pinto beans, undrained
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
2. Add apples; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Brown ground beef with onion, garlic and bell pepper; drain.
4. Return beef mixture to pan. Stir in chili powder and next 6 ingredients (through diced tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Add reserved bacon and apples; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls, serve with cheddar cheese, cilantro and sour cream as accompaniments.