Super Easy Chili

This is a recipe that my husband declared was the best chili he'd ever eaten.  Which made me feel awesome.  Doubly so because it is so darned easy to make!  I like to raid my pantry for this as I tend to forget chili is on the menu until sorting, rinsing and cooking beans before I even start the chili isn't really a viable idea.

Just to warn you, though, this makes a HUGE pot of chili, so if you have a smaller family, be prepared to freeze some of it when it's done.

Enjoy!!!

Super Easy Chili

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (or, if you'd prefer, 3 cups of tomato sauce could be used)
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes with liquid (15 oz cans)
• 1 can red kidney beans, with liquid
• 1 can white kidney beans, with liquid
• 3 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 tsp. chile powder (ground chiles not chili powder) or Cheyenne pepper, optional
• 1 TBS cumin
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced 
• 3 TBS dehydrated onion or 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 tsp. salt
• Olive oil

Procedure:

1.  Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to a preheated 8 quart stock pot.  Once oil is hot, add beef, celery, garlic and onion (if using fresh). Cook until beef is browned.

2. Add everything else to pot (including dehydrated onion if using instead of fresh).  Return contents to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). 

Serve with grated cheese on top and with corn bread (if you wish).

Serves a small army or (estimating) a typical teenage boy.

Enjoy!