There’s nothing like a hot bowl of chili on a cold evening….I know a lot of people have their own favorite chili recipe they make, as I do, but I also like to try new recipes or create new versions based on what I have on hand. Some people prefer beanless chili while others prefer meatless…if you’re like me, I like both beans and meat in mine. This meal came in at around $9.91 which included the chili fixings, toppings and bread. The bread alone cost $1.99 so if you don’t use it, or make your own, the price will be less. I use different beans, depending on what’s on sale, and we use different toppings, again, based on what’s on sale. I used 90% lean ground beef in this because it was on sale so I didn’t have to drain my beef…when I use 70 or 80% lean, I will drain off the fat before adding the beans and tomatoes.
CHILI CON CARNE –
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 for approx $9.12
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey or chicken if you prefer)
- 1 15 oz can red kidney beans
- 1 15 oz can chili beans
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp chili powder (*or more if you like it spicier)
- 2 tsp ground cumin*
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 round loaf of bread
- Garnishes I used for pricing-
- sour cream
- shredded Cheddar cheese
- chopped green onion
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet and saute onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add meat and brown. Add kidney beans, chili beans, tomatoes, chili powder and ground cumin. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bread bowl is desired and garnish. Serve with bread pieces from the scooped out bread if you like.
BREAD BOWL:
To make a bread bowl, simply cut off the top of the loaf (use a hearty round loaf) and scoop out the bread to make a hollow bowl. I lined the hollowed-out bread with tin foil (to keep it from leaking) and cooked it in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
This dish freezes really well so why not make a double batch and freeze half for another quick dinner.