Chili

I'm sure my mom got a big kick out of our conversations last week when I called desperate for some ideas on meals that feed a crowd. I fed dinner to my FRG, Family Readiness Group, at our first meeting. I need to prepare for about 20+ servings so I called up Dr. Butler. My Atoo, her mother, is probably one of the only people I know whose only version of her Chicken salad recipe makes 96 servings:). Needless to say, the Musick ladies know how to entertain! So, getting back to why I probably amused mom, I came set on the idea that I would make chili. My mom made chili on a fairly regular basis of course, but she always mashed up the beans so I wouldn't know they were there...that's right I have a bean issue as well. Well since I've been forcing myself/coming around the last 5 years, I decided chili was ok by me. The meal turned out beautifully and I felt I was back to my roots buying industrial-sized cans of beans and tomato sauce at SAMS for my ingredients:). Next time I make this I am trying ground turkey, it's a much better fit for the Hilborn family palate!

Chili

• 1 lbs ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 large onion, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (15 oz) can tomatoes
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t paprika
• 2 T chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 t Worcestershire sauce
• 4 (15 oz) cans pinto beans
• Cayenne Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
  

Saute the onions and garlic in a large dutch oven, until they begin to sweat. Then add, the ground meat. Saute until the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and turn the mixture on high until it boils, reduce the heat to med-low and maintain a simmer for 1-2 hours. Remove the lid and let the mixture thicken in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. The chili will have thickness at this point but will still look more soup-like than chili-like. Let it stand for 5-15 minutes before serving. At that point, the mixture should be the perfect thickness!