I have tried many chili recipes over the years. Many of them were fairly complex and required a whole laundry list of ingredients to make. I came from a Midwestern family that never had much money so, most of the time, we made do with just the basics. The peppers, tomatoes and onion came fresh from the garden. I used a package chili mix because a lot of money was spent in the research and development of just the right powder blend. For a buck or so, this seems a pretty good deal to me.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef, browned with the fat drained off
- ½ to 1 cup assorted peppers, chopped
- 1 cayenne pepper, chopped
- 1 med. onion, chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 pkg. McCormick Chili Mix or similar
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup water
Directions:
I like to make this recipe in a slow cooker, but if you want just go with a large skillet.
Begin by setting the slow cooker on low heat. Then chop the peppers, onion and tomatoes. Place on the side.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a bit of oil. When the pan is hot add the ground beef. Brown the meat for a few minutes, stirring often. Drain off the fat and add to the slow cooker. Next, add the veggies to the still hot skillet and braise them for a few minutes. Dump these into the slow cooker.
Now add the tomato sauce, garlic, chili mix and the water. Stir to mix and cover. Cook for about 3 ½ hours on low, and then add the kidney beans which have been rinsed. Recover and cook for another half hour. Serves 6.
