There's nothing better than a piping hot bowl of chili on a cold winter's day. Even though "Mother Nature" decided to be nice and relieve us from two terrible weeks that felt like we lived in the Artic Circle with sub-zero temperatures, chili still tastes good on a day in the 30's in February!

I'm a huge chili fan...and it doesn't have to be any elaborate recipe...we keep it somewhat simple...hamburger, beans, onions, and (spicy) vegetable juice, chili seasoning mix, chili powder, plus our secret ingredient, a Hershey chocolate bar. (well, I guess that's not so secret anymore...lol) Lately, I've been adding Rotel chipotle peppers and green chilies just to give it a little more "zip".

But, are there really this many people planning to take their chili recipe with them to the grave? According to a survey, 10% of people say they have a secret chili recipe and they'll never share it with anyone.

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Here are some more results from a National Today survey:

1. 68% of people say they LOVE chili and another 27% like it. 4% dislike it....and 1% HATE it.

2. The five most popular things to eat with chili are cheese, crackers, cornbread, sour cream and tortilla chips. (and in this state, Iowan's love to dunk their peanut butter sandwiches in the chili...it's a tradition...don't judge us.)

3. 26% of people like it as spicy as possible. Add in some jalapenos, chili powder or even better, Frank's Red Hot Sauce! (a personal favorite) and now you're talkin'.

4. 14% of chili lovers admit that it gives them GAS. (the other 86% are lying...ha ha)

If you want something more than just a basic bowl of chili, and if you want to get a little crazy, try one of these:

  • chili dog (heck yes)
  • on the top of French fries,
  • on a baked potato,
  • add in some Fritos chips
  • Mix in with "Mac & Cheese"
  • or even crazier, pour your chili over an omelette, trust me, a "Chili Omelette" is GENIUS. I didn't invent it, but I wish I would have. You can thank me later.

KEEP SCROLLING: Iowan's Favorite Foods To Eat When It's Cold

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