Easy Beef Chili

There are a lot of chili recipes in the world. Many require hours of cooking and lots of ingredients. But I discovered this recipe many years ago and it is not only one of my easier, quicker dishes, but one of the most delicious. Whenever I bring it somewhere, someone always wants to know my recipe. I’m almost embarrassed to give it out, because it is so easy and because I cheat. I use a McCormick’s Chili seasoning envelope. All the seasonings needed are there, I only add the beef and the vegetables; and of course the sour cream, cheese and chips. Is it as good as chili that cooks all day? You be the judge. 

This chili can be put together quickly and easily and can be cooked in the crock pot. Just put all the ingredients together and “run around town.”  It will be ready when you get home. And the chili reheats in the microwave very well so it is great for your late dinners and for lunch and snacks too.  The chili also freezes well. So increase the recipe and keep some in your freezer for those last minute dinners.

Ingredients

2 packages of McCormick’s Chili Seasonings. I use 1 regular and 1 hot.

2 lbs. of ground, lean hamburg

2 large, green peppers – chopped

2 medium onions – chopped

1 cup of tomato puree

2 cans of stewed tomatoes, or 1 can of diced tomato with green chilis and 1 can of stewed tomatoes

2 cans of Red Kidney Beans or 1 can of red and 1 can of black beans

Brown the hamburg in a skillet and drain well. Put in the crock pot. Add the peppers, onions, tomato and seasoning envelops to the crock pot. Mix and cook in crock pot for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. How long you cook the chili is just a rough estimate. Once the chili starts to boil, I turn it down or I turn it off. I rather it didn’t boil but simmered, so again you need to get to know your crock pot. All crock pots are different; some are more powerful than others. You should be able to run around town for a few hours before it starts to boil if you have it on low. You don’t want the vegetables to be too soft. They have more flavor if they are not too soft.

Before serving, rinse the beans and then add to the chili. Simmer the chili until the beans are hot; it won’t take long. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips.