thats good to hear samandnoah!!
another trick to add some heat, is to get a fresh, crispy jalapeno, and take a knife, and cut 3-4 slits in it from top to bottom. then, just chunk it in the pot, and every time you stir it, just kinda squeeze the jalapeno against the inside of the pot. it will help to get the juices flowing thru it. the heat and spicyness will be extracted from the pepper, then when you are done, just 'fish' out the pepper and throw it away.. or, eat it, which ever you prefer.. you will find that this trick will add a great amount of KICK..
and the chili can come out salty sometimes.. its one of those things thats hard to judge. definitely play with the recipe to get it to your liking. you can also find no salt added, or salt free broth.. that might be an option for you to try also. and pendereys has some of the best spices.. we use them alot. also, mccormick makes a chili powder called, "texas hot".. if you see it in your grocery store, BUY IT.. i guarantee it will give you some added kick also.
and congrats on getting the consistency right. that tends to be the biggest variable every time. water, water, water.. its the hardest, but most crucial element.
bigjohn
