Po'boy chili

More of an attitude than an exact recipe.
I will cover the evolution first, then how I formalized a recipe for civilized use.

Imagine, if you will, a bunch of hippies camped out in Colorodo’s Roosevelt National Forest in summer of 1970. 
Maybe a hundred hippies in a fifty-acre tract of woods. 
Towards the end of most days a gnawing in the belly
region prompted one to seek out where chili-beans were being prepared, or do it yourself.
The main dish, chili-beans. Dried beans, like pinto beans, boiled up with a whole lot of chili powder for flavor.  Adding salt, and oil or shortening added savor. Tom started chopping onions and throwing them in towards the end of the boil. Helen brought over a can of stewed tomatoes one night. She was always welcomed then. When Don and Bonnie got married we made a special batch of chili-beans Texas style.
This meant adding sautéed beef and some cornmeal just a little before serving.
So fine a meal, so worthy of recreation.

So, for tomorrow evening’s chili, round up a pound of dried pinto beans, or the like.
After dinner tonite start the beans soaking in pot of water, add water as necessary to keep
 beans covered. In the morning, rinse the beans and start simmering in fresh water.
Add chili powder at this time. How much is moot. Chili powder is quite variable, as well as peoples’ tastes for spiciness. Figure about a quarter cup.
While that is happening round up a can of stewed tomatoes, about a pound is good.
Chop up some onions and about a pound of ground beef; sauté beef into little burgers.
About an hour before serving add the beef, tomatoes and onions to the pot, 
and a tsp. or two of salt. Five or ten minutes before serving throw in a handful or so of corn meal.
This is a good chili, enjoy it.
If you want to kick the poor boy image in the pants,
add a tsp. of finest fennel