Anyway, a few years ago, I wanted to make chili and I looked at tons and tons of chili recipes. They all disappointed me in some way. Some were boring: simply ground beef and tomatoes. Some were missing something: spiciness and complexity. So I took tons of recipes and wrote down the parts I liked about each one and came up with my own unique chili recipe. It was a hit with the husband, so I knew it was here to stay. I LOVE my chili recipe. The problem is that I kept forgetting to write it down. I had little pieces of paper all over the kitchen with the recipe, and when we moved last year, I almost had a heart attack when I couldn't find any of the papers with the recipe on it. So I think it's time I restarted using this blog to write down my recipes, so that when we move again someday, I won't have a problem finding my favorite recipes.
I love eating this chili right now because this is the first time I have a small garden. I planted tons of pepper plants and they are producing so many peppers that I am overwhelmed with what to do with them. We are eating plenty of both homemade salsa and this chili recipe to use them up. Yep, life is good. :)
What I love about this chili: peppers, meat, beans, tomatoes, spices: they all meet together to make a spicy, hearty chili recipe that lasts for about 10-12 servings. It is lax enough that each batch is different while still having similar attributes.
Ingredients:
**1-2 pounds of ground beef or turkey (depending on what you like)**1 pound of cooked bacon (optional!)
**1 onion, chopped
**1 green pepper, chopped (more if you prefer mild peppers to spicy ones)
**A variety of hot peppers, chopped (I use what is available in my garden, and I prefer a balance like: 6-8 jalapenos, 2 habaneros, 3 poblano/anchos, 3 serranos) (this produces a somewhat spicy chili, nothing intolerable because they are sauteed and lose a bit of their spice in that way, but be as brave as you can and use however many you want. You can always add more the next time!)
**4 (14.5 oz each) cans of stewed tomatoes, chopped up
**1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes (optional!)
**1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
**1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
**2 (15 oz each) cans chili beans (I use hot, you can use mild if you want), undrained
**1-2 tbsp. tomato paste
**spices: cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc.
**hot sauce (optional!) to your taste preferences
**toppings (optional): shredded cheese, sour cream, cornbread
Directions:
(1): In a large soup pot, brown the meat. Add the onion, green pepper, and variety of hot peppers. Saute until the onion and peppers are tender (approx. 5 minutes).
(2) Add the remaining ingredients. Add spices and hot sauce to your preference. Add enough tomato paste to help maintain a thicker sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more complex the taste.
(3) Before serving, sample and add more spices or hot sauce until it is perfect. Put in bowls, add toppings of your choice. I recommend cheese, sour cream, and cornbread on the side. Enjoy!
Comments:
**I only add bacon when it is on sale. I don't want my chili to cost a lot of money, and I enjoy the taste of this chili both with and without bacon.
**I LOVE tomatoes, so I always add one extra can of diced tomatoes to the stewed tomatoes in this recipe. Of course, I like to have fun and I get a can of roasted tomatoes, or tomatoes with chipotle chilies, etc. No need to get just simple boring diced tomatoes (unless you want to)!
**Always remember to wear gloves when handling hot peppers! Otherwise, be prepared for your hands to sting for days, no matter how much soap you use (been there, done that, trust me, it is NOT fun).
**I apologize for not including exact measurements of the spices, but chili is supposed to fun and creative! I always just add a bunch, taste, and then balance it out to my preferences.
**Make sure to use a big enough pot! This makes plenty of chili, so don't skimp on the pot!
