Um, I guess you have never been fishing for a meal, or hunting, or clam digging, or obviously wringing a chicken's neck etc...

To answer your other question I would happily be the one to pull the switch on someone convicted by jury of a crime deserving capital punishment.

If you have certain sensibilities and harbor personal guilt then you should alter your behavior accordingly. Don't expect everyone else to share your opinions or reactions.

Perhaps you should investigate the various vegan/vegetarian lifestyles if that is more to your taste or conscience. But please don't expect everyone else to have to feel the way you do just because you believe in a certain way.

You're welcome.

Here is a completely over-the-top article and recipe for chili that hits all of the basics but goes overboard in the flavor department in my opinion:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/01/ho...

In my experience a person's chili preference is largely (maybe solely) dependent on what they ate and enjoyed when they first experienced it. Endless debates about tomatoes, beans, chile powder vs. puree, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee etc... wind up going nowhere because chili preference is subjective. I can't say what should or should not be in another person's chili but I know with absolute certainty what I like and don't like in mine. I appreciate anyone who likes a good bowl of red however they choose to have it.

Alton Brown has a solid, if slightly eccentric, homemade chili powder recipe that is very good:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/al...

Competition chili, which usually are the ones that win awards and internet acclaim, don't make a good bowl of eating chili. They are designed to be one hit wonders for judges who get only a few spoonfuls before they move on to the next entry. Therefore they need to be highly seasoned and crafted to pack flavor into one punch. A ramekin sized portion of this chili would be great, a big bowl would be overwhelming.

As this recipe adds its own cumin, garlic/onion powder and paprika it is calling for ground "chile pepper" not "chili powder" (two different things entirely).

The recipe itself is styled after many of the traditional CASI/ICS winning recipes of the past decade. Note the use of beef and chicken broth, 1 can of tomato sauce and the stealth MSG additives of beef/chicken granules and seasoned salt.

Light New Mexico chile pepper is made from green not red chiles. It has a fruitier, less earthy flavor to me. I like it but not for chili. New Mexico Hot chile pepper, NM green and Texas Red Dog chile pepper are competition staples provided by Pendery's. For me a blend of ancho and New Mexican red chile pepper forms the basis of chili. Garlic and onion powder are used to contribute to the smoothness of the gravy and the consistency of the recipe. Fresh garlic and onion can run bland or hot depending on what you happen to pick up from the grocery store.

Gebhardt is a "chili" powder meaning it contains ground chiles, cumin, garlic etc...

The pitted prunes addition is a gimmick made to be a signature/marking/secret ingredient tag.

Tabasco does not belong anywhere near chili.

I also find tri-tip to be gamy/livery and I would never use it for chili. I prefer small cubes of flank steak or short rib.

I can't imagine this recipe being very good for eating chili. Maybe worth a tasting spoonful or two at a competition but that would be about it.

Serious Eats took on the apple pie thing a few years back.

Part 1 concerns apple selection:
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/10...

Part 2 gets into the pie filling:
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/10...

Part "3" concerns the pie crust:
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07...

In short - Golden Delicious apples, pre-heated apple filling, and foolproof pie crust.

My new favorite is birria - essentially chile-stewed protein, served on corn tortillas, topped with onions/cilantro/radishes and scented with freshly squeezed lime juice. This taco is then dipped into the strained chile stewing liquid before each bite. This stuff will cure your cold and hangover at the same time.

Solid recipe here (I sub white onion, cilantro and radishes for the pickled onion):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ma...

Short ribs are tremendous but you can use pork shoulder, lamb, goat, other cuts of beef etc...

A guy who works for me used to work in McDonalds' food laboratory. He has a recipe which is very close to the Big Mac special sauce:

Big Mac Special Sauce
1/4 cup KRAFT Miracle Whip
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons, heaping, WISHBONE deluxe French salad dressing (the orange stuff)
1/2 tablespoon HEINZ sweet relish
2 teaspoons, heaping, VLASIC dill pickle relish (Heinz dill relish also works)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried, minced onion
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon salt
Mix everything very well in a small container. There better be no streaks! Microwave 25 seconds, and stir well
again. Cover, and refrigerate at LEAST 1 hour before using. (to allow all of the flavors to "meld") Makes nearly
1 cup... enough for about 8 Big Macs

I have made it numerous times with tweaks but still don't think it is exactly right. I bet if I continue to go back to McDonalds to taste the original I will keep getting closer and closer in my experiments.

Man, McDonalds should pay me for the free marketing I am doing for them.