Chilly Today

Chilly Today

The temperature has dropped significantly here.  There is a serious chill in the air.  So much so that I'd like to turn on the heat.  That would be a shame though considering I feel like we just turned off the air conditioning.  Shouldn't we be able to get a least a month or so of not having to pay for air or heat?  I like to think of September and October as those months when no help from the power company is needed, but the floor is cold and so are my feet.

No, I have no intentions of cracking and turning on the heat.  Instead, I'll just compromise.  The oven is on.  The kitchen is warming.  The smell of Jalapeno Cheese Bread fills the air.  Chili is simmering on the stove.  A hot bowl or two should definitely take the chill off.  And since I thought you might be chilled too, I'm sharing my recipe today.  It's sweet with a background of heat from the jalapenos.

Chili
1/2 large onion, diced
1- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon of oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 16 ounce cans of chili beans  
1/2 cup of ketchup
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, saute the onion and pepper until soft.  Add ground beef and cook over medium heat until browned.  Use a spatula to break up ground beef into smaller pieces.  Add two cans of  chili beans, 1/2 cup of ketchup, 3 T of brown sugar, and seasonings.  Simmer for twenty minutes.  Thin with small amounts of water as desired.

The nice thing about chili is that you can tweak it to your liking.  I like to use Bush's Best Chili Beans in medium sauce.  My kids like the sweetness and the heat is not too much for them.  Of course, it's good to doctor it up with a sprinkling of cheese, some sour cream, and more onions.

ENJOY :)

This post is shared with Food Renegade and Old Fashion Recipe Exchange.