Best Chili EVER!!!

I am back!!!!  I know it's been a very long time since I have blogged, but life happens and I haven't found the time to dedicate to blogging.  I have been cooking and I have been saving recipes to post.  I was talking to my students and to a colleague about my blog one day and realized it's been a hot minute since I have posted anything on here.  Well, that all changes now.  Hopefully as we transition into the new year, I can get on here at least once every couple of weeks to share some of the awesome things I am cooking.  In Kansas, the current weather is 21 degrees, which means it is SOUP season.  Yesterday, I made an awesome chili and thought it would be a great post to share.  My kids enjoy the food that I cook and unlike their mother, they don;t like spicy food that much.  If I were to make this just for adults who like a little kick, I would add red pepper flakes and I would use a hot chili seasoning.  I think what makes this the BEST chili EVER are the zesty diced tomatoes, the mix of ground beef, crumbled Italian sausage, and BACON! I also used three types of beans: pinto, black beans, and dark kidney beans.  It’s flavorful, warming, easy, and delicious, which is my book makes for one awesome recipe!  If you decide to make it, let me know how it came out.  Enjoy :)

Best Chili EVER!!!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2-2.5 Hours
Total Time: 2.5-3 Hours

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef (I used lean ground beef)
• 1 pound of ground Italian sausage
• ½ pound bacon (take one pack and cut it in half)
• 2 (15 oz) cans DARK kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
• 2 (28 oz) cans Hunts ZESTY diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (6 oz) can of Hunts tomato paste
• 1 large Vidalia Sweet yellow onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons of season all
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Cooking Spray
• 1 packet of original chili seasoning (McCormick)

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Spray it with your cooking spray.  Add ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot.  Season your ground beef/sausage with Season all, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.  Crumble the ground beef and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain excess grease.

                                                         

2. In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Crumble and add to stock pot. Cook the chopped onion, red pepper, and minced garlic in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add to the large pot that has beef/sausage.

3. To the large pot, add in the drained beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock. Season with the chili seasoning packet, garlic powder, season all, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, and paprika. Stir to blend.  Cover and let it cook for one hour on a medium-medium low heat.  After one hour, uncover and stir.  Taste to see if you need to add more seasonings to the pot. Cover again and cook for another hour. 

**The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste.  It will surely taste better the next day :).  

4. After 2 hours, remove from heat and serve, or let it cool completely and then refrigerate.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, or whatever chili toppings you prefer!  I like to eat mine with Oyster crackers!