Chili - A Cool Weather Favorite

Chili is a favorite cool weather dish in our household.  We make it regularly, and change the ingredients and spices to create variety.  My typical quick recipe follows.  In the past, I have made it from all fresh ingredients.  However, as I now use this recipe for a quickly prepared dinner, I have switched to using a few canned ingredients.  Quantities of spices may need to be altered slightly to accommodate your family's individual taste preferences. 

Chili -

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (we use turkey)

2 cans 8 oz. each tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste (small can) 

2 cans 15 oz each diced tomatoes
1 large can 19 oz kidney beans

1 3/4 cup diced green peppers (fresh or frozen)

1 3/4 cup corn (or 1 can 15 oz. size partially drained)

1 cup diced onion (fresh or frozen)

1 clove of garlic minced (or 1 tsp ready to use jarred variety)

3 Tbsp chili seasoning (alter amount to suit taste)

1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (alter amount to suit taste)

Method:

1.  Brown meat on stove top.  Season meat with seasoned salt.  Add onion and garlic, and heat thoroughly.
2.  In a crock pot, mix tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, green peppers, corn, and chili seasoning.
3.  Add meat mixture to crock pot.  Please note: if using ground beef, then you may need to drain grease prior to adding mixture to the crock pot.
4.  Heat on low for 4 - 6 hours.
5.  Serve in bowls.

Serving suggestions include...

• with a side of corn bread
• with tortilla chips, using chips to scoop and eat chili (our children particularly like this method of eating)
• with an apple dish of your choice like baked apples or apple sauce (The sweet and cool apple flavor compliment the hot and spicy chili.)