Even-bodied chili, slightly sweet and full of flavor

1 pound ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
28 ounces tomatoes (diced)
8 ounces tomato sauce (use some tomato paste instead for a thicker chili with less cooking time)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt (or more; salt to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
15.5 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/8 cup brown sugar

1. Cook and stir beef, onions, garlic, and green peppers in a skillet or stock pot until meat is brown. Drain grease.

2. In stock pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Or, simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. If you use tomato paste instead of the tomato sauce, the chili will get thicker faster, and might only need to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

3. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

 

For variety, I sometimes add some salsa. I also like to put in a whole dried anaheim pepper while cooking the soup. I remove the pepper before serving, and it leaves a nice flavor in the soup. You can adjust the heat of this soup by varying the amount of cayenne pepper, or adding hot sauce (we like Tapatio) of your choice.

I love this chili! It cooks down nicely, and is so tasty! I like to dip chips in mine. I think the base recipe makes a nice chili that's not too hot, but do taste as you season. I tend to just throw spices in, and then when we go to eat the soup, it's way too hot. :) I think I've learned my lesson enough times though! :) My rating: 10/10