Chilly with a chance of chili

 

With the bizarre and unseasonable cold weather this past week (and really, all summer), hot meals and soups are once again appealing. Nothing is quite like a hot bowl of chili for warming you right to your bones, and this one-pot recipe is quick, easy, and cheap, too!

Becca's Easy Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound ground beef, chopped steak, or vegetarian ground beef crumbles
• 1 can diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can kidney or red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno, minced (wear plastic gloves while chopping peppers, for safety. Capsaicin stays on the skin for hours and burns if it touches your eyes!)
• 2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable. If you don't have broth, water can be used)
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 

Herbs and spices: 

• 1-2 tablespoons chili powder (do not hold back on this! it's the main flavor of chili)
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• a dash of curry powder
• black pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, heat oil on med-high heat. Saute onions and jalapenos for 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir, then add beef and cook until brown (if using vegetarian beef crumbles, just add crumbles and proceed to next step). Add the rest of the ingredients and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20-30 minutes. Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream. 

Serves 6-8, depending on how hungry they are.