How to Make FunniBonz Chili

Here on the East Coast, Old Man Winter has been having a field day.  As I watch the snowflakes fall outside my window this morning (again!), I realize, "This would be a great day for FunniBonz Chili!"

So, here's a step-by-step guide to show you how easy it can be to make great homemade chili with the help of your favorite FunniBonz Barbeque sauce.  The great thing about chili is that you don't need measurements;  everything works according to your personal tastes.  Don't be afraid to experiment with seasonings, flavors and ingredients.

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1) Brown one pound of ground beef (of course you can also use ground turkey or add in bulk sausage as well, if you prefer!) in a large pot or dutch oven.

2) Once meat is browned all the way through, drain and discard all fats from the pot. 

3) Add diced peppers, onions and celery as desired. 

4)  Mix vegetables through and sauté for a few minutes. 

5)  Add in one can of crushed tomatos and mix well.

6)  Add in a can of diced tomatoes.  I usally prefer the Italian-style with basil and onion.  Stir well.

7) Add in two beef bouillon cubes and mix well.  These will gradually melt into the chili and add a burst of additional flavor.  This would also be a great time to add in a can of mushrooms, if you desire, with liquid. I also like to add in a few washed and hand-torn celery leaves. They are absolutely delicious in chili.
 

8) Add in about three tablespoons of FunniBonz Spicy sauce.  Doesn't seem like a lot but this adds lots of additional spices and flavors and just a little touch of sweetness. (Add more later or use FunniBonz Fiery Chipotle for some extra spice!)

9) Add in two cans of any beans that your prefer.  Here we used light red kidney beans and black beans.  Do not drain before adding; the bean starch adds flavor and consistency to the chili.  Mix thoroughly.

10)  Cover pot, set temperature to low and let simmer for as long as possible but no less than 30 minutes.  This gives ingredients time to merge and blend.  Don’t be afraid to taste along the way to see if there is anything else that your chili needs before serving.

11) Congratulations!  You've successfully made a delicious, winter-fighting pot of FunniBonz Chili! 

Enjoy with your favorite shredded cheese, grated parmesan, sour cream and tortilla chips, or over a bowl of steaming white rice! Can’t you just taste it now?

Your Top Five FunniBonz Show Questions Answered

We have the honor of meeting hundreds of people at every show - most of them are new to the FunniBonz experience and, of course, we end up hearing the same questions over and over again.  So, to satisfy those curiosities, here are the answers to the most often asked questions from our customers:

1)  How spicy is Spicy? 

This is our most often asked question when we offer samples of FunniBonz Spicy sauce to new potential customers.  And, of course, the answer is completely subjective.  If you like spicy food, it's perfect.  It starts out sweet, rises to a warm and tingly crescendo and then levels out without ever geting "too spicy." It's all about the flavor, not about the "burn." 

If you have a super sensitive tongue, you may want to stick with FunniBonz Original.  It still has some kick but has a sweet and mild aftertaste that your palate will just love.  And this is a favorite among the kids.  It's the best way we've found to get them to eat those pork chops! 

For those of you that like it when that Spicy kick lasts past the end of the meal, you will love the FunniBonz Fiery Chipotle.  It will be on store shelves by mid-March.  If you don't see it next to the regular FunniBonz in your local store, ask for it!

2)  How do you make your FunniBonz Five Bean Medley?
This is (almost literally) the World's Easiest Recipe.  Here's what you do:
At the store, select five cans of your favorite types of beans.  At past shows we have used black beans, pink beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, cannelini beans, kidney beans (light or dark), navy beans, lima beans, butter beans and even black eyed peas.

Drain all of the cans into a single collander and rinse the beans with cold water.  Put into a pot on your stove.  Add sauce to your taste and mix well.  Warm through.  Serve.

Of course, you can aways kick up your beans by adding in chopped onions, peppers, crumbled bacon or diced jalapenos or tomatoes and by letting the beans simmer slowly for a while, just to give the flavors time to blend. But that's completely up to you.  Really - feel free to make it your own!  You can't mess this one up!

And you can always click HERE to see our step-by-step demo.

How easy was that!?!  :-)

Special thanks to our friend Chef Diane Henderiks for the fancy dish name. :-)

3)  Where are you really from?
We know it's hard to believe that great barbeque sauce can come from New Jersey but it's the truth. 

Admittedly, Jim did go to college in Greensboro, North Carolina, however his inspiration for this creation came from grilling on the back deck with his Dad, business partner and brother in law right in West Windsor, New Jersey. 

So yes, we are really from New Jersey and we hope to eventually be the ones to put Jersey on the map for great barbeque sauce!

4)  How long have you been in business?
We are still a fledgling company.  We've been incorporated since June 2008 and have been on store shelves since January of 2009.  We are always grateful to Jack's Corner Market in East Brunswick for giving us a chance and to the folks at Pennington Quality Market for letting us do demo after demo in their awesome store and and all of the residents in Pennington, NJ for their unwavering support when we were just getting started.

5)  Where else can I get FunniBonz besides this show?
On the East Coast, FunniBonz can be found in almost 200 stores from Connectcut through the mid-Atlantic region and down to Georgia.  We are also in The GrapeVine Cottage in Zionsville, IN and Joe's Parkway Market in Bozeman, MT.   And if you are lucky enough to have tickets to the 2010 Olympics, you can pick up a jar or two at Market Meats in Vancouver, BC, Canada. 

To find the location nearest to you, simply log on to our Store Locator page, type in your zip code and the nearest location will be at the top of the list right along with a convient map of the area. 

We will be expanding to all of the Whole Foods locations in the Mid-Atlantic region by mid-March. We will also be adding a new store to our list of business partners.  You will be able to find FunniBonz Barbeque Sauces in all 92 of The Fresh Market locations by the end of March.


We hope we were able to answer some of your burning questions.  If you have any more, feel free to reply to this blog and we will try to get all of your questions answered.


See you at the next show!

FunniBonz on Sale!

We've spotted FunniBonz Original and FunniBonz Spicy on sale!! 

Stop by Joe Canal's Discount Liquor Store on Route 73 in Marlton, NJ.  They are selling FunniBonz for a remarkable $3.99 a jar.  That's the lowest price around!  Be sure to stop in and get yours before they are all gone!

Jim speaks at The University of Georgia

Jim gave a lecture to students at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business this morning about leaving the corporate world behind and becoming an entrepreneur. 

"They were very enthusiastic," Jim said about the future MBA's after his talk.  "They all made me feel very comfortable even though they asked some really compelling questions.  I am very grateful to Scott Lord for inviting me down."

Jim with Dr. James Verbrugge of the Terry College of Business

Asked what he plans to do next, Jim says he plans on concentrating on the launch of his two brand new sauces in March and to continue spreading the word about all of his sauces to stores and new venues.  

"I'm really excited about the new sauces," he says.  "I think people are really going to like them.  They went over really well at the Fancy Food Show last month so that's a really good sign.  And, of course, there's always more to come!"

Of course there is!

If you're interested in having Jim speak at your upcoming event, please send an email to eellis@funnibonz.com or call (877) 300-2669.

Are You Ready For The Storm?

Rrrrring!!!

“Hello?”

“Did ya hear? There’s a storm brewin’, Kate.”

“I know, Eddie. I’m watchin’ the news right now.”

“What are we gonna do? We could be trapped inside for DAYS!”

“Eddie, we live in New Jersey! When have we EVER been trapped inside for days?”

“It could happen! They’re predictin’ THREE FEET of snow. Could be a repeat of the Storm of ’96!”

“Eddie, calm down. You’re gettin’ upset. You know how your pressure can get!”

“Kate, I’m worried because I think we’re out of FunniBonz Barbeque Sauce!”

“OH MY GOSH! Why didn’t you say that in the first place? Now MY pressure is gettin’ high! I can feel it!”

“One of us needs to got the store and pick some up!”

“By ‘one of us’, I guess you mean me!”

“You’re so much better at shoppin’ than me, Kate. Because we’re also gonna need some chicken wings, some ground beef and a slab of ribs to enjoy that sauce.”

“Sigh!”

“Hurry, I think I see a snowflake! And I don’t want them to run out.”

“Ok, I’m puttin’ my boots on right now. But I’m not doin’ this for you! I love FunniBonz, too. And my meatloaf just ain’t the same without it!”

“I agree! I’ll be home, soon. Thanks, Kate. Maybe this storm won’t be so bad after all!”