John Spacer's Chili posted to alt.fifty-plus.friends
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=98845v%24ojid%241%40ID-76126.news.dfncis.de&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain

3 cups dried onions (or fresh -- I just don't like chopping.  
If you use fresh onions, you probably ought to use less.)
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 pounds lean ground pork

The next part is a basic recipe for the chili powder.  Use all of it or
as much as you have a taste for.  If you don't use all of it, add enough
salt to the brew to compensate.  I use all of it.

2 1/2 ounces ground red pepper (I use medium New Mexican chili -- So sue me, I'm from there!)
1 ounce dried garlic powder plus 1 tablespoon
1 1/2 ounces dried cumin plus 3 tablespoons
1/2 ounce dried Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons salt

continuing....

4 fifteen-ounce cans of Ranch Style (brand name) pinto beans
1 quart water
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon Folgers or Taster's Choice dark instant coffee
3 tablespoons or so crunchy peanut butter

OPTIONAL - chopped fresh jalapeno peppers to taste, with or without seeds,
Thai peppers or Habaneros.

Once the onions have soaked up about two cups of water (enough to
moisten, not enough to have any left over -- use a fine strainer and
drain them for a few minutes to make sure), saute them in the peanut oil
until soft and golden, NOT BROWN.  Use the same strainer and drain the
oil off after they're cooked.  In a heavy two gallon pot over medium
heat, brown and kibble the meat.  Toward the end of the cooking, add
onions, jalapenos and chili powder.  Continue cooking just a few minutes
until the mixture blends a bit, the chili's wilt just a little and all
the flavors transfer.  Add water and beans.  (Watch it with the water,
You want stew, not soup.)  Warm carefully while stirring to avoid
burning the stuff on the bottom of the pot, then add the coffee, peanut
butter and chocolate.

Can be served immediately but gets lots better if left to cool for a day
in the fridge and then reheated in little microwave batches and topped
with shredded rat cheese and raw chopped purple onions.  Serve with
chili-cheese cornbread and a medium dry brown designer ale of some sort,
or Gallo Hearty Burgundy (used to be good....)

Regards, John (that Alaska guy)