My Best Recipes

Matt Kuenzel

4 min readJun 25, 2024

Below are some awesomely good recipes!

Cincinnati Chili

In a large pan, add:

◇ 3 pounds ground beef

◇ 1 quart water

◇ 2 large onions, diced

Cook slowly until the beef is browned. While cooking, add:

◇ 2 or 3 chopped garlic cloves or 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

◇ 1 tablespoon cumin

◇ 2 tablespoons vinegar

◇ 2 tablespoons cinnamon

◇ 5 tablespoons chili powder

◇ 2 tablespoons salt

◇ 1 tablespoon black pepper

◇ 1/2 tablespoon cayenne

◇ 1 tablespoon allspice

◇ 1 or 2 chopped jalapeño peppers

◇ 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

◇ 6 ounces of plain tomato sauce or 1 chopped tomato

Cook over low heat, simmering slowly, for 4–5 hours. Add water as needed to keep a pasty consistency.

Cincinnati chili is usually served on spaghetti, topped with some combination of chopped onions, kidney beans or black beans, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Italian Meatballs

Start with a large mixing bowl, and combine:

◇ 4 or 5 slices of white bread, cut into small pieces

◇ enough milk to make the bread soggy

Add:

◇ 2 pounds of ground beef (optionally substitute with 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork)

◇ 1 yellow onion, diced

◇ 3 eggs, beaten

◇ 1 bunch of parsley, chopped

◇ 2 ounces of grated or shredded parmesan cheese

◇ 8 cloves of garlic, chopped, or 1 tablespoon garlic powder

◇ 1 tablespoon oregano

◇ 1 tablespoon fennel seed

◇ 1/2 tablespoon salt

◇ 1 tablespoon black pepper

Mix well with your hands. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Form the mixture into balls approximately 2 inches in diameter and arrange on the foil. Bake the meatballs at 350° until mostly browned.

Into a large pan or dutch oven, place about 5 cups of your favorite Italian tomato sauce. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the meatballs are fully cooked, turning the meatballs occasionally.

Determine when they are fully cooked by cutting a meatball in half and checking that the center is brown, or by using a food thermometer to ensure it registers about 150°F when inserted into the middle of the meatballs.

Peperonata

In a large pan, combine:

◇ 2 ounces olive oil

◇ 6 red bell peppers, diced

◇ 1 onion, diced

◇ 2 tomatoes, chopped, or 12 cherry tomatoes, chopped, or 10 ounces of tomato sauce or tomato puree

◇ 1 tablespoon of garlic powder

◇ 1/2 tablespoon salt

◇ 1/2 tablespoon black pepper

◇ 1 tablespoon oregano

◇ 1 tablespoon basil flakes or a few fresh basil leaves, chopped

Sauté the vegetables and then simmer until the vegetables are softened but not mushy.