If you are an astute reader of this blog, you probably know that I love my mother’s cooking. Last night I made a big pot of her chili and thought I’d share the recipe with y’all. It’s a great basic chili recipe with lots of flavor that I (a non-chili aficionado) think tastes good even without sour cream and shredded cheese, which is saying a lot. It tastes better the second day, as chili often does. Mom used to make this sans-meat when we were vegetarians, though I am not sure if she added more beans. Let me know if you are curious about the vegetarian version and I will pass along any questions!
CHILI
2 TBSP oil
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (can be omitted)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 small can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 big can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 big can (28 oz) tomato puree
1 1/2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1-3 dashes of hot sauce
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Heat oil in stock pot. Add green pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Saute until cooked (onions soft and translucent), then add ground beef. Cook ’til brown. Drain. Add remaining ingredients except for beans. Simmer for at least one hour. Add beans and heat through (15-20 minutes). Serves 8+
Veggie version please!
Veggie Version:
Omit the ground beef (of course!) and add an extra can of beans (Mom used pintos, but whatever you like) and feel free to add more peppers and other veggies!
I just made chili with that Boca stuff the other day. (It was on sale and I thought that I’d give it a try.) It is really good and I don’t think anyone can tell that it isn’t ground beef.
I’m going to try this version of chili soon. It looks yummy. I could eat chili nearly every day. :)
One small correction…I don’t drain the diced toms when I add them and if any vegetarians have ever used TVP (textured vegetable protein) that is a wonderful addition. I added approx. 1 cup or equivalent of 1 lb. cooked ground beef. You can also add a little water if it is too thick.