Recipes
Old Family Favorite Chili
This chili is low in fat, about 1/2 teaspoon or 15 calories per cup.
Great on a cold day with shredded cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream
on top, with fresh bread on the side. Leftovers freeze well. Use the full
amount of regular or medium chili powder and add extra hot pepper to taste
for the full range of chili flavor.
2 lbs ground beef or ground round
3 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium onions
1 red bell pepper, chopped or
2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic minced or
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
l/2 teaspoon Chipotle pepper
1/2 to 1 1/2 crushed red peppers
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups water
3 26 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 16 oz. cans kidney beans, drained
1 or 2 teaspoons salt
Brown beef in 2 batches in thick bottomed soup kettle. Drain off fat
and set beef aside. Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in kettle over medium
high heat, adding onions when hot. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Add red bell pepper, continuing to cook 1-3 more minutes. Add garlic,
black pepper, cumin, chipotle and hot red peppers to taste plus chili
powder while continually sitrring until the spices begin to stick to
bottom of kettle and brown (about 30-45 seconds) Quickly add 3 cups of
water. Add the beef, but try not to include any fat that may have
accumulated. Stir.
Add tomatoes, chopped tomatoes and kidney beans,
stir again.
When chili begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
Ideally chili should be simmered 3 hours to let all the flavors blend
together. Stir every 15 minutes, while checking to make sure heat is not
too high, causing chili to stick to the bottom of kettle. If you don't
have 3 hours, use less CHIPOTLE and HOT PEPPERS or else they will
overpower the othr flavors.
Serves 6-8. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 3 hours