I started doing this years ago when we lived in California. Was asked to make “real Texas Chili” by the host who was Canadian for a Super Bowl party. Asked to define it, he said “ you know, chili, beans, sorta spicy…the real thing!”
i told him I’d need some room. Anyway I didn’t compromise the real lines. I was the only Texan, the rest were Bay Area locals, New Yorkers, midwesterners. Having eaten out with them often they had zero clue and little heat tolerance. Made a simple pot of ground beef chili with gebhardts and crushed tomatoes. A pot of beans. And lots of add ins. It’s evolved and expanded. I have a DiL from west Oklahoma so it’s bean tolerant.
my last big one:
big pot of Red (ground 80/20, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, onions, garlic; they love it and I figured out doing a chile paste and chuck roast is lost and waste of time and money)
pot of green chili (ground pork, pork shoulder, onions, jalapeños, poblanos, anaheims, tomatillos)
pot of pinto beans made with bacon grease, bacon, ham hock, chile, beer)
Mexican rice, Fritos, tortilla chips, saltines, chopped fresh jalapeños, chopped onions, biscuits or flour tortillas (great with the green), sour cream, shredded cheese. A bunch of other shit.
if you’re have the notion ill grill up hot dogs or links. I like wrapping one up with chili cheese and onions in a flour tortilla. Always a hit and something few have had. My dad made them when I was a kid.