super simple and tasty chili

Ok, so I just made chili from whatever I happened to have on hand tonight - it's cloudy and a bit cooler out so it felt appropriate to make something warm and tasty!  A friend of mine asked me to send her the recipe and, once I'd typed it up for her I realized I might as well add it to the blog - right?  So here it is - a super simple recipe for tasty chili!  Hope you enjoy ;)

What you need...
3 hamburger sized patties of ground beef, about 3/4 to 1 lb (which I happened to have in the freezer)
1/4 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 15oz can of tomatoes, Italian seasoned (I actually had made my own chunky tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes and it was frozen and already seasoned with Italian seasonings so that's what I used, but I'd say it was equivalent to a can)
1 can garbanzo beans (drained)
1 can pinto beans (not drained)
1 can kidney beans (drained)  *I'd bought these accidentally and never thought I'd use them...

2 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
a sprinkle of chili powder
1/2 tsp or so of paprika
To thicken, I used some corn flower (masa harina) diluted in water, about 2 tsp - you could use cornstarch or regular flour


First...
I cooked the beef until it was cooked through on medium heat then tossed in onions, peppers & garlic and let them cook a bit. 

Next...
Once the onions and bell pepper have begun to soften, add the rest of the ingredients and stir.  Once it's fully mixed, add the seasonings and stir it up some more.  Feel free to taste at this point to adjust the seasoning.

Finally...
Reduced the heat a little and let it simmer for a bit (10 to 15 min, stirring intermittently).  You can add the thickening agent at this point and then let it bubble on medium low heat to help some of the liquid evaporate.  Once it's to a desired consistency, just turn it down to low until you're ready to eat/serve it.

*Notes: The seasonings can be adjusted to suit your tastes easily.  If you are not a fan of spice, omit the chili powder or if you like it hot, add more and/or add 1 to 2 cup up chili's when the green pepper is added.  Also, feel free to mix and match bean wise.  If you've got a can of black beans or navy beans, throw them in.  If you don't have kidney or garbanzo beans that's ok too.  Pintos are always a great staple bean though and can be substituted for any of these beans (proportionally speaking).




To serve, top with cheese, sour cream, Frito or corn chips, pour over cornbread, or eat it plain!

I know you'll enjoy this super simple and really tasty chili :)  Let me know if you make it - I'd love to hear you take on it!