Chili

Chili is T.H.'s all time favorite meal. When we met in college I don't think he had ever cooked much of anything other than a hot pocket; but my mom's chili recipe is so easy and delicious that he now makes it all the time. This is the recipe that I grew up on and in my opinion is the ultimate chili.

Chili

Ingredients

1. 1 can of kidney beans

2. 2 cans of pinto beans

3. 1 medium onion diced

4. 1 large clove of garlic

5. 1 (14.5) can of whole tomatoes

6. 1 lb. ground beef

7. 2 tbsps. chili powder

8. 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef. Drain off fat

2. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender.

3. Add can of tomatoes. With a spoon break up the whole tomatoes slightly.

4. Add the beans (do not drain)
5. Add chili powder. The amount is approximate. Despite what you may think, chili powder doesn't actually add a lot of heat it just adds a kind of smokey background taste. The more you add the darker the final product will be.

6. Add red pepper flakes. Again the amount is approximate. A little goes a long way so add a little bit and let it cook for awhile and then you can taste and determine if you want to add more.

7. Add enough water to cover the entire chili mixture.

8. Cook on medium high heat for around 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn't scortch.

9. Serve hot

T.H. likes his with lots of shredded cheddar cheese. I like mine with a little shredded cheese a few shakes of Frank's Hot Sauce and some saltine crackers. This and the white bean soup also in this blog are my all time favorite soups ever. When I think of comfort food this is what I think of!