Extra Effort Pays With Chili, Corn Bread

When the weather starts to turn chilly, it’s time for chili - not to mention its constant companion, corn bread.

On a crisp, lazy weekend day, there are few things as soul-warming as putting your favorite killer chili recipe on the stove to simmer and mixing up some sweet, golden corn bread.

But when the chili bug bites on a hectic, harried weekday night, a speedier solution is in order.

We fed members of The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel an assortment of prepared (to varying degrees) chilis and packaged corn bread mixes.

The bottom line: You get out of it what you put into it.

Sure, you could just open a can of chili. But canned chili is canned chili, even if it’s a fancier-sounding variety such as Nalley’s Walla Walla sweet onion offering.

Turning to the freezer case, Johnson Food Products provides the seasoned meat, and makes you add tomato sauce and beans. There’s some slow-building heat, but the meat is rubbery and the flavor weak.

The best of the bunch - and the most demanding of the chef - was Carroll Shelby’s Chili Mix, which consists solely of spices; everything else is a la carte.

Panel members weren’t overly fond of the basic, quick (20-minute cooking time) version we prepared, suggesting we simmer it longer and add more ingredients. But that’s starting to sound dangerously like real cooking.

The same reap-what-you-sow principle applied to the corn breads we tried.

Marie Callender’s just-add-water mix produced dense, doughy results. Krusteaz, which calls for milk and eggs, was a bit better but still tasted too artificial.

The hands-down winner was Aunt Patsy’s (from Spokane’s Buckeye Beans people), to which you also add oil - a half-cup, to be precise.

Sure, it has almost twice as many calories per serving as the Krusteaz. Just think of it as storing fuel for the long winter ahead.

Carroll Shelby’s Chili Mix

Price: $1.59 for a 4-ounce spice package ($5.39 including ground beef and tomato sauce; makes five 1-cup servings).

Nutrition: 80 calories (17 percent fat calories); 1,600 milligrams sodium per serving (seasoning mixture only).

Taste: ***

Value: ***

Comments: “Does have a chili richness. Sauce is rich and dark. Best to add onions and peppers (and) simmer a long time.” - Susi Faville.

“Looks and tastes like something you’d get on a cattle drive … the drawback is there isn’t enough beans, onions, peppers etc. Other than that, it’s real good.” - Paul Norris.

Johnson Food Products Chili

Price: $2.69 for 16 ounces (about $3.50 with tomato sauce and beans; makes four 1-cup servings).

Nutrition: 310 calories (75 percent fat calories); 350 milligrams sodium per serving (meat mixture only).

Taste: ***

Value: **

Comments: “Beef is too chewy and gristly. Nice and spicy, probably too hot for some.” - Jan Robison.

“Something’s wrong with the flavor. Very plain, not much chili taste. Children might like this.” - Susi Faville.

Nalley Walla Walla Onion Chili

Price: 99 cents for 15 ounces (about two 1-cup servings).

Nutrition: 290 calories (28 percent fat calories); 1,060 milligrams sodium per serving.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “The smell and initial taste started out poor, but it ended up tasting OK. It has a strong pork and beans taste, which you don’t associate with chili, but I liked it. Can really taste the Walla Walla onions.” - Paul Norris.

“Sweet, mushy - yucky! - smells nearly as bad as it tastes.” - Jim McGinty.

Aunt Patsy’s Corn Bread

Price: $2.99 for 20 ounces (16 servings).

Nutrition: 210 calories (33 percent fat calories); 260 milligrams sodium in one serving.

Taste: ****

Value: ***

Comments: “Basic corn bread. Nice crisp top with soft body, not too sweet. Leaves grease spots on my plate.” - Meagan Coffey.

“Nice texture - a bit crunchy. Also a bit sweet. Definitely tastes like cornbread.” - Mary Aegerter.

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread and Muffin Mix

Price: $1.19 for 15 ounces (16 servings).

Nutrition: 120 calories (25 percent fat calories); 190 milligrams sodium per serving.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “Pale, oily aftertaste - heavy-textured cake mix.” -Jim McGinty.

“It is not crispy on top - too sugary, and as you chew it, it begins to taste as if you are eating raw batter.” - Meagan Coffey.

Marie Callender’s Corn Bread Mix

Price: $1.69 for 16 ounces (12 servings).

Nutrition: 150 calories (23 percent fat calories); 310 milligrams sodium in 1 serving.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “Tastes OK but is too moist/heavy.” - Mary Aegerter.

“Tastes like Play-Doh and feels like Play-Doh. Doesn’t taste like corn bread at all. - Jan Robison.

, DataTimes MEMO: Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are purchased at a retail store and prepared in a test kitchen according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.