With the post-holiday blues in full swing, we can't seem to get enough homemade chili lately. In fact, this time I even doubled the recipe and we are still enjoying this savory batch days later. Typically I find it challenging to follow recipes. I prefer to season to taste and add ingredients as I go. I rarely follow the exact same steps as the time before. However, this recipe is tried and true in our household. Over the years, I have added more garlic and spicy kick but for the most part, I am still using the original recipe. In case you're interested in prepping a batch for a lazy new years day, I am sharing it here.
ingredients 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 sweet onion 2 jalapeno peppers 1 bunch of garlic (enough for 5-8 cloves) olive oil
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (I use the 365 brand with basil) 1 can of diced tomatoes (again, I use the 365 brand but any brand will work) 1 can of black beans 1 can of kidney beans
3/4 lb of ground meat (I used ground bison because it's so lean but any lean meat should work)
1 bunch of scallions 1-2 cups of shredded cheese
chili powder ground basil ground oregano cayenne pepper ground black pepper crushed red pepper
steps
1. Combine the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and beans (drained and rinsed) into a large pot. Add minced garlic to taste. Typically I add 4-6 minced cloves to the mixture, since we're garlic fanatics.
2. Dice red pepper, green pepper and sweet onion. Slice both jalapenos, including the seeds.
3. Sauté peppers, onion and one minced garlic clove in pan with olive oil.
4. Once veggies are slightly tender, add them to pot mixture.
5. Combine ground meat (bison), 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp of basil, 1 tsp of oregano and olive oil in pan and cook until brown.
6. Drain excess grease and add meat to the pot of chili.
7. Add 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper to pot. Now add black pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper to taste.
8. Bring pot of chili to a slight boil. Mix chili well and then reduce pot to a simmer.
9. Slice scallions.
10. Serve warm in your favorite bowl topped with shredded cheese and fresh scallions.
notes
- Keep in mind that the spicy ingredients will taste spicier the day after. Remember, you can always add more spice. Although I can't handle it, some even add sriracha sauce to this chili recipe.
- As with most savory dishes, the flavor is better the day after it's cooked.
Enjoy!