Nothing tastes better on a cold evening than a good bowl of chili. For my family chili has to be full of flavor but not necessarily hot. For those that prefer their chili really hot, I serve chopped jalapenos on the side and crushed red peppers that they can add as much as they like.
We are a busy family as most are so I keep the ingredients for chili on hand as well as some bags of hamburger that I have already browned so it is easy to throw it all together in the morning before work.
Here is my basic chili recipe but you can adapt it as you see fit to your own family’s tastes.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb’s (approx.) of browned hamburger (seasoned with salt and pepper)
- 1 large white onion chopped. (I don’t cook the onion in the hamburger – it has more flavor and texture if you put it in your crock-pot fresh)
- 1 large can of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of diced green chilis ( I usually use mild)
- 1 can of tomato juice (I use Campbell’s and may not use the whole 11.5 ounce can, depends on how much room is left in the crockpot.)
- 1 package of chili seasoning (doesn’t really matter what brand)
- 1 can of chili beans
- 1 tbsp. of chili powder
- 2 tsp. pepper and I usually put in a teaspoon of salt as well.
Preparing and Cooking:
I throw it all in the crock-pot in the morning, stir it well and leave it on low till suppertime. If I don’t start the chili till the afternoon I will put it on high for a while.
Taste test it to see if it needs any more salt, pepper, or chili powder. If you think it is too thick you can add some more juice. Serve it to your family with some crackers and enjoy.
It is easy to adapt this recipe to your crock-pot and family size. You can always add more hamburger, diced tomatoes, juice, or beans. If I use more hamburger I throw in another chili packet.
