Chili

Chili is the perfect hearty meal for these cold autumn nights. I love this recipe adapted from The Family Chef cookbook. I always find chili recipes too sweet but this one had just the right spice and flavor.

Recipe:
2-3 lb. beef sirloin cut in very small pieces
Seasonings: 4 T chili powder
4 T cumin
1 T garlic powder
salt, pepper
2 sweet onions, chopped
4-5 peppers (combined yellow, green or orange bell, stemmed seeded, diced small)
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 serrano chilis, chopped fine (I didn't use these in my recipe)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes
5-6 c beef stock
2-3 cans beans (any kind you like)

In a large pot, brown the meat with a little olive oil, using half the seasoning mixture. Remove meat and set aside. In same pot, saute all veggies except tomatoes. Add rest of seasoning. Return meat to pan, add tomatoes and beef stock. Simmer 10 minutes. Add beans and simmer 30 minutes to an hour. Add salt or pepper if needed. The longer you cook it, the better.

We serve ours with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar and a little hot sauce (like Tobasco) on top. There was enough for us all to have a smaller side cup of chili the following night. Delish!