Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne is one of the dishes that my mom makes that I could eat any day of the year but its best in the winter.  I have memories of eating it out of a cup at Carnaval (a Canadian winter time festival) in a church basement as a kid.  My dad has made an especially tasty version that substitutes moose or deer meet for half of the beef as well.  This chili is just as good spicy hot as it is mild since the mixture of flavours add a great punch of flavour.  My only suggestion regarding spice level is that the milder the chili, the more salt will probably be required.

 

For crock pot directions, see below.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 pounds of ground beef

1 can kidney beans

1 large can crushed tomatoes

Roughly ½ cup of each: celery, sweet bell pepper and mushrooms, chopped

2 cups chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2-4 tablespoons chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

 

Tools:

 

Dutch oven or large pot

Knife to chop vegetables

Can opener

Crock pot (if desired)

 

 

Instructions:

 

1. Heat oil in dutch oven or large pot;

2. Add ground beef and onions and sauté until beef is browned and onions are transparent;

3. Add remaining ingredients, stir well and simmer on low at least 1½ hours.

 

To adapt the recipe to use a crock pot, follow step number one.  Once grease beef is browned and onions are transparent, pour all ingredients into crock pot and cook on low for at least 4 hours.

The leftovers are great reheated the next day and I especially like leftover chili over a taco salad.

This recipe freezes very well.  Freeze in small containers for lunches or freeze a large batch to stick in the crock pot for reheating.