Crowd Pleasing Chili

As promised in my last post, here's my chili recipe.

But first, I'd like to share a little of its history.

My little brother wasn't a fan of kidney beans in our growing up years.

So, my Mom altered her recipe to accommodate his preferences.

My sister and I still make our chili in the adjusted way.

See what an influence little brothers can have?  :)

Years ago, when our church would have pot luck meals,

I brought this.  And, it all went.  Every. Single. Time.

Hence the name it's been awarded ~ Crowd Pleasing Chili.

And, just a word on adjustments ~ this recipe is very forgiving.

Substitute your favourites in place of my suggestions.

I have had to alter and tweak it in the past to make it work for dietary

restrictions and requirements.  For example, I have used my own *from scratch*

baked beans and ketchup and soaked and cooked my own kidney beans.

I've sweetened the whole lot with honey.

You will find my old standby recipe below ~

adjust to suit your own needs.

What you need:

3 pounds ground Beef

3 medium cooking Onions, diced

3 coloured sweet Bell Peppers, chopped
(I like to use red, yellow, and orange...not a fan of green)

3 - 28 oz tins diced Tomatoes in their own juice, undrained

3 - 14 oz tins Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
(this is the equivalent of 5 cups cooked beans)

3 - 14 oz tins Heinz Baked Beans in tomato sauce, undrained
(again, the equivalent of 5 cups cooked beans)

2 cups Ketchup (adds sweetness...if you wish to omit,
then use a tin of tomato sauce and add sweetener of choice to taste)

3 to 4 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 Bay leaves (remove at the end of simmering time)
1 Tbsp Sea Salt (add at the end of cooking time)

What you do:

Scramble fry the beef until nearly done and add in onions and peppers.
Saute until meat is fully cooked and the onions are translucent.

Add in all remaining ingredients, except salt, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer (partially covered) for 1.5 to 2 hours in order to blend flavours.
If it's still a bit runny at this point, remove the lid completely and simmer it down.
Stir in sea salt, remove bay leaves, and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve in bowls with grated cheddar sprinkled on top
and cornbread on the side.

This makes enough to feed about twelve hungry tummies.
I like to make lots to have some left over to freeze or to serve the next day.
This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or for a few months in the freezer.
Be sure to bring leftovers to a boil prior to serving.

Happy Monday Y'all!
With Love, Camille