What better way to walk into fall soon than with a delicious bowl of flavorful chili and a slice of cornbread made from scratch alongside? Now is the perfect time for transitioning over to easy meals that are great reheats and that are a healthy source of comfort food all year long.

Chili is packed with protein and flavor. You can set up a topping bar with all the fixings to garnish bowls uniquely. Cornbread, sliced hot out of the oven with a drizzle of honey or even some honey butter (melt butter and stir in some honey and chill) is perfect with a bowl of homemade chili. Finish up those peppers from your summer garden.

Enjoy making chili and cornbread together. It gives your home a wonderfully friendly aroma. Cornbread is also great crisped up in a pan with some butter as leftovers and goes well with breakfasts, lunches, more dinners or even as a snack.

Chili and a side of fresh cornbread. That’s what’s for dinner tonight. I hope you enjoy these recipes a have a great fall season.

Flavorful and Super Easy Homemade Chili

2 pounds of 80/20 ground beef

1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes; plain or fire-roasted

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups beef or chicken stock

1 bell pepper, preferably not green, or poblano pepper, diced

2 chipotles in adobo (in the can) plus 1 tablespoon of the liquid from the can

1 teaspoon agave nectar

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon of cumin

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons of a neutral oil such as canola oil

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large pot, pour in your oil and place the pot on the stove over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add in your ground beef. Cook until the beef is browned.

Take the cooked ground beef out, leaving the fat in the pot. Turn the heat down to medium low. Add your diced onion, pepper, minced garlic and saute until everything is softened.

Next goes in the tomato paste and spices. Cook for a minute or so until the spices are warmed and almost toasted. Add the remainder of the chili ingredients and bring to a simmer.

Cover. Place your pot in the oven. Cook your chili for one hour, stirring at 30 minutes.

Top with your favorite chili toppings. Easy, loaded with protein and delicious.

Fresh Homemade Cornbread

You can make this recipe in a 9-inch square cake pan or in a standard brownie pan, in a 9-inch round cake pan, or in a nice-sized skillet.

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1¾ cups cornmeal

1½ cups whole buttermilk at room temperature

2 large eggs, also at room temperature

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

¼ cup of canola oil or any neutral oil like a seed oil

¼ cup of sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Butter a 9-inch round or square cake pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then, take your wet ingredients and whisk them together in another bowl. Combine both mixtures and with a whisk mix until all are incorporated.

Pour and use a spatula to place all the cornbread batter into the greased pan. Bake uncovered for approximately 25-30 minutes until your tester has a speck or two of crumbs on it.

Serve at any temperature with a drizzle of honey, your favorite spiced or plain butter and enjoy.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.