CHILI

2 lbs. ground beef (or vegan option)

chopped vegetables (celery, garlic, onions, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers) to your tastes, but at least 1/2 cup chopped celery, 4 garlic cloves, 1 large chopped onion, 2 chopped sweet peppers- any colors, 1 jalapeno pepper and/or any other types of hot peppers (serrano, habanero, cayenne, etc…) you can also use a couple tablespoons of jarred jalapenos if desired. *if your finished product is not spicy enough, add some powdered cayenne*  

3 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup chili powder (at least)

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. black pepper

1 TBS salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 15.25oz can of black beans (or any beans you prefer)

This is one of those recipes that is NOT meant to be exact. I know, I know–my grandma used to drive me crazy with that too, but you have to do it enough to get a feel for what works for you. This is about what YOU like. From the amount of meat to the amount of veggies and beans, the above is just a guideline. For instance, my preference for vegetables is that they are not chunky in my chili, so I put everything in my food processor or handy chopper and pretty much take it down to a puree. I like the flavor in the chili but not the chunks, so it works great. If you like chunks, hand chop them to desired size. It’s your chili–do what you want! 

Brown your meat in a large pot. Pour in your chopped or pureed veggies.Next, add your tomatoes and spices.

Stir well. Rinse and drain your beans in a colander and then add to mixture.

Stir well and simmer covered for at least an hour, but preferably longer.

Serve alone or with some shredded cheddar and sour cream. I like to pair ours with some nice homemade bread, saltines or my beloved tortilla chips.