Texas chili... 2 hours and 15 minutes

My two-year old NEVER eats! When I served this for dinner, he practically licked his bowl clean!

the goods:

1 and 1/2 ounces dried guajillo or pasillas chiles

1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce

1 pound boneless short ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 and 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium white onion, diced small

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons cornmeal

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

Frito chips, for serving

Place dried chiles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water, and weight with a small plate to keep submerged. Let sit until pliable, 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup soaking liquid. Drain chiles; discard stems and seeds. In a blender, blend chiles, chipotle chile and sauce, and soaking liquid until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Set chile puree aside.

Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add oil to pot, season beef chuck with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with short ribs.

Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, and cornmeal and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add meat, broth, chile puree, and just enough water to cover meat, if necessary; bring to a boil over high. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and cook until meat is tender and chili is slightly thickened, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with cheese and Fritos.