Prep 20 min

Ready 1 hr. 15 min.

Servings 8

It has been one of those November days – rain, rain, and more rain and lots of wind. We just had a flicker in our power and all the electronic devices are now going to have to be reset. Our clocks are all flashing and my computer crashed. Thank goodness I had a surge protector set up. The sun is not out, and it is just plain gloomy.

Yesterday, after a relaxing hike with my wife and our dog Fritz, I made a loaf of artisan bread. Today I made a large pot of red chili. It is now officially chili season, and it seems like the perfect day to make a fire, read a book or watch a movie and have a bowl of chili or two and some homemade bread.

We love any variety of chili, and this is my go-to recipe. I think I could make it my sleep. I make it on the cheap purchasing everything except the meat at Aldi. I like their private label brands and have found that their stewed tomatoes and chili beans are of very good quality. I find you can save a lot of money on staples there. I started going for their German chocolate years ago and now have purchased all kinds of things from this small but interesting store. Give it a try if you have not ever shopped there. It is not for everybody, but I do like it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. fresh ground beef

• 5 garlic cloves smashed (minced)

• 3 medium yellow onions

• 3 stalks celery (cut to small half-moon shapes)

• 1/2 tsp. A1 (or equivalent steak sauce)

• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper

• 1/8 tsp. ground sea salt

• 3 Tbs. chili powder

• 2 17.5-oz. cans chili beans

• 2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes

• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste

• 4 Tbs. jalapeño peppers (I used jalapeño peppers from a jar.)

Directions

1. Cook ground beef over medium heat until lightly brown in a large pan (I used a 3 qt. Dutch oven) about 7 min.  Add garlic, onion, chili powder, pepper flakes, chili powder, pepper, and salt. Stir together and cook until onions are soft – an additional 5 min. Add celery and a half cup of water.

2. Open all cans of chili beans and crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and add to meat. (The jalapeno peppers are optional.) Stir together over medium heat to boil then lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 hr.

3. Serve in bowls and add sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and chives if desired.

At this point, I typically add red onion, shredded cheddar, and Tabasco sauce to spice it up a little bit more! I skipped the sour cream this time. Enjoy!

Red Chili

• 1 ½
  Lb.
  ground beef
  fresh
• 5
  cloves
  garlic
  minced
• 3
  Med.
  yellow onions
• 3
  stalks
  celery
  cut half moon shaped
• ½
  tsp.
  steak sauce
  A1 equivalent
• ½
  tsp.
  red pepper flakes
• ⅛
  tsp.
  pepper
  fresh ground
• ⅛
  tsp.
  salt
  fresh ground
• 3
  Tbs.
  chili powder
• 2
  17.5 oz.
  cans chili beans
• 2
  28 oz.
  cans tomatoes
  diced
• 1
  6. oz.
  can tomato paste

1. Cook ground beef over medium heat until lightly brown in a large pan (I used a 3 qt. Dutch oven) about 7 min.  Add garlic, onion and chili powder, pepper flakes, chili powder, pepper, and salt. Stir together and cook (until onions are soft) an additional 5 min. Add celery and a half cup of water.

2. Open all cans of chili beans and crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and add to meat. (The jalapeno peppers are optional.) Stir together over medium heat to boil then lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 hr.

3. Serve in bowls and add sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and chives if desired.

I typically add red onion, shredded cheddar, and Tabasco sauce to spice it up a little bit more! I skipped the sour cream this time. Enjoy!