Super Easy, Super Yummy Homemade Chili

Because I buy things like canned diced tomatoes and beans in bulk, we always have a TON in our food storage.  While 10/$10 sales are great, check price clubs and case lot sales.  Last year I got a ton of beans for like 10 cents a piece at a case lot sale on double-coupon Wednesday.  (Thanks Winegars Grocery!)  I also buy a lot of canned dice tomatoes in bulk whenever I can get them for 50 cents a can or less.  This year we also went in together with 7 other families and bought a cow.  This gave us about 60 lbs of beef for $60.  What a steal!   In essence, this chili cost me less than $4 to make and will feed my family of 6 two meals easily. Maybe even 3, depending on their appetites on any given day.

But don't worry.  Even if you haven't bought a cow recently, you can still make this pretty cheap.  Definitely healthier than store-bought or restaurant chili and much cheaper!  (Freeze leftovers.  Great over baked potatoes too!)

2 lbs ground beef (or turkey)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 small sweet peppers (or 1 bell pepper), chopped
2 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp chili powder
4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (yes, cinnamon!)
2 - 8oz cans tomato sauce
4 cans diced tomatoes w/ chilies
4 - 14.5 oz cans beans (any kind you like. pictured: Kidney, Black, and Navy), undrained
1 can sweet corn, undrained.

Brown meat with garlic, onion, pepper and spices.  Stir in everything else.  Heat until just starts to boil.  Cover & simmer 30-40 minutes, until ready to serve.

Note:  I drain 2 of my cans of beans and leave only 2 undrained.  Just depends on how thick or thin you prefer.  For extra thick & chunky chili, drain all beans as well as the corn.

Black Bean & Yam Chili

3-4 C Cooked Black Beans, with water (or use 3-4 cans undrained)
1 can (29 oz) Yams, drained and cut into smaller chunks
1 - 14.4 oz beef chunk in water, drained (can use stewing beef if browned first)
1 jar salsa
1-15 oz canned corn
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp Tony Chachere's creole seasoning (or other spicy favorite)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp hot cocoa mix
1 tbsp molasses (or 2 tbsp honey)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
water, to desired consistency

Place all ingredients in pot and cook, stirring frequently, just until boiling.  Or place in Crockpot on LOW 4-6 hours.  Makes approximately 11 C.

Chimichanga Chowder

I had some stewing chunks I needed to use, but just wasn't really in the mood for beef stew. I searched through my cupboards and fridge, and whaddya know -- I got a hairbrain idea for a Tex-Mex chowder. This is sort of a cross between taco soup and taco chili, except it has refried beans and the fact that it's cream based makes it a chowder. Since both chimichangas and burritos have refried beans, we thought we could call it either Beef Burrito Chowder or Chimichanga Chowder. In the end, Chimichanga Chowder won out. I hope you give it a try! We loved it!

1 lb beef chunks for stewing

seasonings**

1 jar salsa

1 can corn, drained

1 can refried beans

1/4 C sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 - 1 soup-can water

Brown beef chunks with desired amount of seasonings. Drain fat and place beef in bottom of crock pot. Add remaining ingredients to crock pot and stir well. Cook low 6-8 hours or high on 4. Serve with shredded cheese and crushed corn chips if desired.

**Seasonings may include 1 packet of taco or fajita seasoning, a few dashes of chili powder, etc. I used about a teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.

Beef Stew

2 tbsp oil (I prefer olive or canola)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 lbs beef chunks

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

4-5 medium red potatoes

4 tsp soup base

4 C hot water

2 C Cold Water

2 packets brown gravy mix

salt and pepper to taste

In large stock pot saute onions in oil over Med-Hi heat. Add meat chunks and Worcestershire. Stir-fry meat with the onions until the meat is browned and onion is tender. Add remaining veggies and continue to stir-fry. In separate small bowl mix soup base (or bullion cubes) with hot water. Slowly add to pot. In small bowl whisk together 2 C cold water with both gravy packets. Slowly pour into pot; stir. Bring to boil and then turn heat to low. Let simmer till meat is tender 2-3 hours (depending on thickness of meat).

*I used left over sirloin from dinner the night before. Since it was already cooked, I simply cut it up and added it to the stir-fry AFTER adding all of my veggies.

TIPS: I usually make this the night before and only let it simmer about an hour and stick it in the fridge. Then, the next morning, before going to work, I toss it in the crock pot, adding a little more water or broth is necessary, and cook on LOW all day. It also goes from freezer to crock pot well, but you will definitely want to add a little more water or broth for that. My kids LOVE eating this with Ritz Crackers or Hot out-of-the-oven corn bread.

Taco Chili

A bunch of the ladies in the hood assembled some chili gift jars a few weeks ago. I decided to make one for myself, and altered the recipe just slightly. It was soooo good! This is a fairly mild chili and my kids enjoyed it, even the one that "doesn't like chili" loved this.

2 - 2 1/2 C chili beans*

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, if desired

1 packet taco seasonings

1 small can tomato sauce

1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 - 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, with juices

4 - 4 1/2 C Water

1 1/2 C crushed tortilla chips

shredded taco cheese (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

tortilla chips or crackers

Place beans in large stock pot and cover with water. Bring water to boil and let boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Let stand one hour. Drain water. Rinse beans and return to pot. In separate skillet, brown ground beef with onion, then drain fat. Add meat to beans in pot. Sprinkle entire packet of taco seasonings over meat and beans. Then add tomato sauce and both cans of diced tomatoes in juices. Stir to mix well. Add 4 1/2 C water and place pot on stove over HIGH heat. Bring to boil and let boil for two minutes. Turn heat down to low, cover pot and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add crushed tortilla chips and cook over med-high heat to thicken. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and more tortillas or crackers if desired.

*I like to use 1/2 C kidney beans, 1/2 C white chili beans, 1/2 C pinto beans and 1/2 C black beans.

For hotter chili, add 1 or 2 hot peppers to mixture before simmering.