A Word about Chili Powder....

Chili Powder fades fast.  It's flavor and it's "punch" quickly goes away in a relatively short amount of time so if yours has been in your spice cabinet for longer than 6 months, then
A) Shame on you
B) Throw it out and get some more, or
C) MAKE YOUR OWN!

If you buy dried Chilis at the store (they're sold in big bags and they look like dried pieces of leather), you can easily make your own Chili powder.  Just pick a chili that matches your own heat profile.  Dried Cayenne Peppers are most commonly used but you can mix it up.  Let your nose tell you which ones to bring home from the store.  Simply cut the ends off, shake out the seeds, and gently roast them in a hot pan or under your broiler to "wake them up" and to get their oils going.  Then slide them all into a blender and hit the juice till it's powder.  Be careful when you pull the lid off, or you'll mace yourself!  Let the dust settle in the blender first!

Dried Cayenne Chilis are a popular choice, but so are Anchos, Annaheims, and dried Jalapenos (Chipotles).

The powder you make won't look like the stuff that comes out of your average grocery store spice jar.  It'll be a little rough around the edges, but it will taste a zillion times better!  Trust me!