Clean out cupboard Chili

 Chili. A hearty food, a comfort good, a real mix of cultures.

In 1999, I took a teaching job in Japan. I was in Ichinoseki, Iwate prefecture.

Now Ichinoseki was on the main JR Shinkansen line which meant I could take a train down to Sendai about once a month to get my favorite Tex-Mex ingredients 

Until one evening I found myself with a taco seasoning, Tabasco, cheese but no beans.

So I went to the supermarket and got a can of beans. The can had a picture of brown beans, fine. I added them.

They were Japanese red sweet beans used in traditional winter baking.

I made my Chili. It was both sweet and spicy.

Not a total disaster, but a learning experience. 

Jump ahead to last Friday night. A long work day. I came home, I had 3 cans of beans a block of cheddar, and some Maritime Madness Hot Sauce. Oh and a green pepper and 4 small Onions.