Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Sauté the onions until softened and translucent.

Step 2

Add in the beef and brown it with a wooden spoon (approximately 5-6 minutes).  Then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minutes to aromatic.

Step 3

Then add in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, black pepper and salt.  Stir until the meat is coated with the seasonings.  Then stir in the crushed tomatoes, red kidney beans and vinegar.

Step 4

Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.  Stir every 5-7 minutes.

Step 5

Then stir in the cornmeal and cook for 10-15 minutes on low to thicken the chili.

Step 6

Then remove the chili from the heat, let it sit for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Then serve warm topped with the cheddar cheese and green onions.  Enjoy!