Chilli magic beans is a savory and spicy dish that combines the richness of beans with the fiery flavor of chilli. Popular in Mexican cuisine, chilli magic beans are known for their bold and robust taste. To prepare this dish, start by soaking dried beans overnight to soften them. Once soaked, drain the beans and cook them in a pot with water, allowing them to simmer until tender. While the beans are cooking, prepare the seasoning and spices. Chilli magic beans get their heat from various sources such as fresh chilli peppers, chilli powder, and hot sauce.
“It's really been a partnership between University Relations, the UNI Bookstore, RAYGUN, UNI Athletics/Learfield and UNI Student Life/Admissions,” according to UNI spokesman Pete Moris. “It's my understanding that Athletics will use the shirts for their annual ‘shirt swap’ this weekend where students can trade in a shirt from another institution for a new UNI shirt.”
UNI doesn t have a contract with RAYGUN, but rather is working with the popular Iowa-based company through its standard fundraising program which donates a fifth of any product sales to an organization. Artists with a UNI, Cedar Falls, Cedar Valley or Iowa connection are encouraged to submit designs and apply to embellish mascots now through September 22, 2023.
Chilli magic beans get their heat from various sources such as fresh chilli peppers, chilli powder, and hot sauce. Depending on your preference for spiciness, you can adjust the amount of chillies and chilli powder used. Along with the heat, a combination of cumin, garlic, onion, and other spices add depth and complexity to the dish.
Northern Iowa launches fundraising tradition in TC’s Tee
TC, the University of Northern Iowa’s panther mascot, poses in a “BADDEST CATS IN THE VALLEY” shirt, by RAYGUN. The shirts are part of an inaugural annual fundraiser for UNI scholarships. (Courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa)
The University of Northern Iowa prides itself on being a tight-knit community, and for years has been scheming up a way to remind new students and old of that tenet so central to its mission and experience. It might just have found the right “fit.”
This year, UNI students and supporters across the Cedar Valley and state will be sporting the first “TC’s Tee,” a new annual T-shirt tradition the campus hopes will raise camaraderie, Panther pride, and money for UNI’s general scholarship fund, housed within the UNI Foundation.
Priced at $24.95, 20 percent — or about $5 — of every sale of this year’s RAYGUN-produced shirt will support a variety of scholarships across the Cedar Falls campus.
The shirt — which comes in both purple and gold and in sizes small through 3X — uses RAYGUN’s signature all-caps style to boast: “BADDEST CATS IN THE VALLEY.”
“Just like the Panther family, TC’s Tee is all about helping others,” according to a web page for the shirt — named after UNI’s Panther mascot named “TC” or “The Cat.” “This is why all proceeds from the sales of TC’s Tee go directly into the UNI General Scholarship Fund to help current and future Panthers pay for their educations.”
UNI — like all of Iowa’s public universities — has been eyeing creative funding solutions as state support has slipped over the years, accounting for 77 percent of the Board of Regents’ general education budget in 1981 and just under 30 percent today.
Conversely, where 21 percent of the general education budget came from tuition in the early 1980s, about 64 percent does today.
Tuition rate hikes — like the 3.5-percent increase UNI imposed across its campus this academic year — come despite pushback from students, who have more cards to play in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape, with demographic shifts churning out fewer high school grads.
Even with the tuition bump this fall, UNI expects to generate $1.9 million less in tuition than it did last year — when its total enrollment dropped to 8,949, the lowest in 55 years since 1967.
Creative funding alternatives have included big ideas, like the University of Iowa’s $1.165 billion public-private partnership for the operation of its utility system, and small ones, like UNI’s limited-time-only T-shirts, aimed at becoming an annual tradition.
“Each year, a fresh new design will be introduced and the old design will be retired,” according to the TC’s Tee page. “Each design will be a limited edition.”
The plan is to debut the new design every summer when freshmen arrive on campus for orientation, “welcoming them to the family,” and then to make them available broadly. This year, outside orientation, UNI started peddling its shirts at the Iowa State Fair.
To date, more than 1,000 have been sold — bringing in more than $4,000 from the fair alone, according to Adam Amdor, a UNI spokesman.
TC’s inaugural tee as of this week is available in all RAYGUN stores — including in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines and Iowa City. The shirt, Amdor said, also is on the RAYGUN website and at the UNI Bookstore.
UNI doesn’t have a contract with RAYGUN, but rather is working with the popular Iowa-based company through its standard fundraising program — which donates a fifth of any product sales to an organization.
And although RAYGUN is the vendor for the inaugural design, Amdor said the campus could use a different vendor next year or in subsequent years.
“It's really been a partnership between University Relations, the UNI Bookstore, RAYGUN, UNI Athletics/Learfield and UNI Student Life/Admissions,” according to UNI spokesman Pete Moris. “It's my understanding that Athletics will use the shirts for their annual ‘shirt swap’ this weekend where students can trade in a shirt from another institution for a new UNI shirt.”
Athletics also will give away the shirts at sporting events this fall.
“It started with a simple goal: unite Panthers,” according to the campus promotion. “Students and alumni, faculty and fans. Musicians, athletes, gamers, bookworms and everyone in between. We are all one family, and we want everyone to know it.”
TC’s Tee
Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.
Comments: (319) 339-3158; [email protected]
Artists with a UNI, Cedar Falls, Cedar Valley or Iowa connection are encouraged to submit designs and apply to embellish mascots now through September 22, 2023. A stipend of $2,000 is available for the design and embellishment of each mascot. Details are available at panthersonparade.com.
Once the beans are cooked, drain them and set them aside. In a separate pan, sauté onions and garlic until they become fragrant and translucent. Add the cooked beans to the pan and stir in the chilli powder, cumin, and other spices. Allow the beans to simmer in the seasoning for a few more minutes so that they absorb all the flavors. Chilli magic beans can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. They can be served as a side dish, mixed with rice, or even used as a filling for tacos or burritos. The combination of the creamy beans and the spicy seasoning creates a delightful and satisfying meal. Not only are chilli magic beans full of flavor, but they are also packed with nutrition. Beans are a great source of protein, fiber, and essential minerals, making them a healthy addition to any diet. In conclusion, chilli magic beans are a spicy and delicious dish that showcases the versatility of beans in Mexican cuisine. With their bold flavors and nutritional benefits, they are a must-try for any fan of spicy food. Give this recipe a go and experience the magic of chilli beans firsthand!.
Reviews for "Chilli Magic Beans: A Healthier Alternative to Traditional Baked Beans"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I was really excited to try Chilli magic beans as I love spicy food, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed. The beans lacked flavor and didn't have the kick that I was expecting. Additionally, the texture of the beans was quite mushy, which made it even more unappetizing. I wouldn't recommend Chilli magic beans to anyone looking for a flavorful and spicy dish.
2. Mark - 1 star
I have to say I was highly disappointed with Chilli magic beans. Not only were the beans tasteless, but they also had a strange aftertaste. The consistency was also off, with some beans being undercooked and others overcooked. I ended up throwing half of the dish away because I just couldn't stomach it. Definitely not worth the money.
3. Emily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for Chilli magic beans, but unfortunately, they fell flat. The beans had a weird artificial flavor that didn't resemble real chili at all. The spiciness was also lacking, and overall, the dish tasted bland. I wouldn't recommend Chilli magic beans to anyone who is a fan of authentic and flavorful chili dishes.
4. John - 1 star
Chilli magic beans were a major disappointment. The beans were overly salty and had a strange chemical taste. I couldn't finish my plate as the flavor was just too off-putting. It's a shame because I had heard good things about this dish, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype for me.
5. Samantha - 2 stars
I tried Chilli magic beans hoping for a tasty and spicy meal, but I was let down. The beans lacked any real depth of flavor and the spice level was very mild. I even tried adding extra spices to enhance the taste, but it didn't help. Overall, Chilli magic beans left me unsatisfied and I wouldn't recommend it as a flavorful chili option.