Chili!

Confession time: I was a terrible cook when I first got married. I could bake. I could cook breakfast and that's about the extent of it. My poor husband did a lot of the cooking and tried to be kind when I cooked. Then I decided to try my hand at chili.
Growing up, the chili in our house was more of a soup. We crunched saltines into it to thicken it a bit. It was never really my favorite. I decided I would try to make a chili like I would prefer it. I traded in the tomato juice for tomato sauce & diced tomatoes. I used more beef and beans. I added fresh bell peppers and onions.
However, I kept the Brooks chili beans. I have tried others. They just aren't the same. I also kept the Bloemer's chili powder and the pasta. As an aside, there are 50 different ways to cook chili and everyone has an opinion on which one is the best. This just happens to be the one I prefer. But seriously, it's the best. Serve it over cooked spaghetti. Top it with cheese and sour cream. Perfect for a Fall meal!

Here's the super secret recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 lbs ground beef
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Large can Brooks chili hot beans
1 26oz can diced tomatoes
1 26oz can tomato sauce
3 packs Bloemer's chili powder

Sautee the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft. Add ground beef. Cook, breaking apart until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add beans, tomatoes, and chili powder. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti (if you want to do it right). Top with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

Price breakdown:
Bell pepper 50¢ or free from your garden
Onion - 25¢
Olive oil - 25¢
Ground beef - $5
Beans - $2.25
Tomatoes - 50¢
Tomato sauce - 50¢
Chili powder - $1
TOTAL - $10.25

Price per serving (10 servings) - $1.03