This is definitely one of my favourites – it is great on a cool rainy day, freezing winter day and it is always a great hit when served at family and friends gatherings. It also never fails when you get a request to bring something homemade for a potluck – I brought it to a potluck one hot summer day and it wasn’t any less popular. I would say that chili is one of those mentally based comfort foods! You can double or triple this recipe and create easy future dinners by freezing the portions!
Great Homemade Chili:
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped green peppers
1 lb. of lean ground beef
1-1/4 oz. of canned tomatoes
1-4 oz. can of tomato paste
I cup of sliced mushrooms
2-1/4 oz. can’s of kidney beans
3 teaspoons of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of oregano
Saute onions in the vegetable oil first, then add the beef and stir until beef is well done (when you don’t see any uncooked parts) If there is too much grease after you cook the beef, spoon it off and discard. Add in remaining ingredients, mix and cover. Bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly for 1 hour.
Couple of notes:
- I have tried to use mixed beans instead of kidney beans and it works great!
- And you can use spaghetti sauce if you are out of tomato paste – substitute canned tomatoes for chopped fresh tomatoes and omit oregano.
- Serve it topped with shredded cheddar and little bit of chopped fresh or green onions in individual dishes
- You can make multiples of this recipe in a very large pot and freeze as much as you want in Ziplock bags or plastic containers – it will defrost beautifully
