Basic Chili

[Garmr 106]

Yes, I'm one -those- people who make tons of food on a Sunday and pack it up into individual servings to feed me the rest of the week. Its how I feed my lazy yet stay on track for my health goals so figured I'd share this simple chili that is nutritionally dense and works for both meal prep and if you need to whip of a batch of something for those holiday potlucks that doesn't completely derail goals.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef   (Recommend the 85% meat so that you have enough fat left in the pan to saute the onions)

1 Can beans       (Tri-Bean blend is what I use but honestly pick whatever beans suit your fancy. If you need to make a larger, potluck sized batch recommend 2 cans of beans)

1 Can diced tomatoes       (If you're feeling ambitious you can dice your own tomatoes but as I said... I do this to feed my lazy)

1 Can tomato paste     (Depending on how tomato-y you like your chili you can go for either a small can or large can. I like the tomato so I go for large.)

1 Can mushrooms        (Optional, if you do not have an inner hobbit I'd recommend the smaller 6 oz cans or you can forgo the mushrooms entirely)

1 Can dice jalapenos   (Optional, if you don't like the spicy you don't have to)

1 Onion Chopped         (If you're not an onion fan I'd keep it to half an onion)

Salt

Pepper

Smoked Paprika

Onion powder

Chili Powder    (optional, again depends on how much heat you are comfortable with)

 

Tools:

Frying pan

Large pot

Large spoon

Metal Spatula - I'm sure I'm calling this the wrong thing but y'know, the metal thingy you use to flip things over in a frying pan.

Some sort of slotted metal cooking utensil

Apron - Don't be like me and grease stain half your fucking t-shirts

 

1) Season your ground beef with the salt, pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder at least 30 minutes before you intend to cool the meat. Also, leave the meat out during those 30 minutes so that it gets to room temperature allowing for a quick cook time.

2) Chop the one onion into whatever sized onion bits you prefer.

3) Once beef is seasoned and room temperature break up the meat into small bite-sized pieces and cook in frying pan on high temperature until brown. Recommend grease trap  if you have it and don the apron if you have one.

4) While the meat is browning combine in large pot on stove: Beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms,  jalepenos. Recommend you drain the beans and mushrooms so that the chili isn't too soupy unless that is your thing. Put on low heat.

5) Once meat is browned, transfer meat to pot with slotted metal cooking utensil  but leave the grease in the frying pan.

6) Put chopped onions into frying pan and let cook until caramelized. Onions should have almost translucent quality. Then add to pot with rest of chili ingredients.

7) Mix chili with spoon and cook for 10ish minutes adding salt to taste.

 

Feeds: 2-6 pax or 2 folks for a couple of meals. Can pair with rice, baked potaoes, or riced cauliflower.

Additional tips for potluck use:

1) Cook the chili the morning of your potluck and then throw it into a crock pot to keep warm. Do not recommend making the chili in the crock pot because the meat gets too dry after so much cooking... tried it once and ended up tossing half the batch because the meat was just blah.

2) Be mindful that folks in your potlucking crowd may not do chili as spicy as you like it so you may have to tone down the spice some (less chilli powder and no jalepenos). I learned this the hard way... that poor lady.