It's Getting Chili Out There!

Now that the temperature is quickly dropping, I've been doing everything I can do to stay warm. After all of the Halloween weekend festivities I knew the perfect way to do it: Make chili!! I don't eat chili often, but sometimes it just hits the spot. I've also never made it from scratch before so what better time to do it than now?

I searched numerous websites for the perfect recipe and was about to give up when I looked over at my bookshelf and remembered that I got the Better Home and Gardens New Cook Book last year for Christmas. I was not surprised when I found the perfect recipe. It was very easy to make and packed full of flavor.


Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2 cups chopped onion (2 large)
1 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 large)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 to 16 oz cans of kidney beans, pinto beans and/or black beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp black pepper
shredded cheese and sour cream for topping, if desired

Directions:
1) In a 4-quart dutch oven cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper and garlic until meat is brown and onion tender; drain fat.
2) Stir in kidney beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, basil and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
3) Simmer, covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4) Top with your favorite chili toppings. (I LOVE making mine taste like a taco salad - loads of cheese and sour cream! Yum.)

Two bowls later, I was stuffed to the gills and did not need to use my blanket for warmth for the rest of the night. :)