![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
runpunkrun posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
gluten_freeI love this chili because it's super easy, and if you have leftover taco meat it's even easier. It has tons of flavor, but it's not hot, and it comes together in fifteen minutes or less. It's one of those family recipes that evolve to deal with leftovers, so pardon any irregularities.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, or the leftover taco meat from the fridge
1/2 sweet onion, diced ~ 1/4 cup
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced ~ 1 Tablespoon
2-3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon ground cumin (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounces)
2 cans chili beans—the kind that come in sauce (30 ounces)
beef or chicken broth as needed for thinning
Time: Only takes fifteen minutes to put together and requires no special tools besides a pot and a heat source.
Instructions:
1. In a medium pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in a little oil for a few minutes. Just enough to knock the edge off the garlic and soften up the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Throw in the ground beef and cook until browned. Or throw in your leftover meat and head immediately to step three.
3. Seasoning: You have some options. If my meat is unseasoned, I put in the taco seasoning, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. If I'm using leftover taco meat, it already has the taco seasoning, so I omit that, but add the others. If I just want to hurry up and get things done, no matter the state of my meat, I put in extra taco seasoning (like 3 Tbsp total) and some oregano and call it good. If you want things spicy, now's the time to add in some cayenne powder, chipotle powder, or even just more chili powder. Stir that seasoning in.
4. Add the tomato sauce and all the beans. Stir to combine and let the chili come to a very gentle bubble, staying close by to give it an occasional stir so it doesn't stick. Add some broth if you want your chili to be thinner. Hit it up with some more salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust spices or salt as necessary.
5. You're done! You can eat immediately, or let it simmer on medium-low heat (you don't want it to bubble unless you're going to stand there and stir it) for 15-45 minutes to let the flavors meld.
6. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, diced tomato, chopped onion, corn bread, corn chips, or homemade baked corn tortilla strips. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer forever.
Notes: If you're using leftover meat—and indeed that's what this recipe was formulated for and why the spices are kind of nuts—then you might need to adjust the bean count. If you only have a little meat, add another can of pinto beans, or, if you roll that way, kidney beans. If you're making it from scratch and want extra chili, go ahead and double the recipe. It freezes great.
My taco seasoning has corn starch in it, and I love how it thickens the chili just a little. Your mileage (and taco seasoning) may vary.
Questions? Ask 'em!
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, or the leftover taco meat from the fridge
1/2 sweet onion, diced ~ 1/4 cup
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced ~ 1 Tablespoon
2-3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon ground cumin (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounces)
2 cans chili beans—the kind that come in sauce (30 ounces)
beef or chicken broth as needed for thinning
Time: Only takes fifteen minutes to put together and requires no special tools besides a pot and a heat source.
Instructions:
1. In a medium pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in a little oil for a few minutes. Just enough to knock the edge off the garlic and soften up the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Throw in the ground beef and cook until browned. Or throw in your leftover meat and head immediately to step three.
3. Seasoning: You have some options. If my meat is unseasoned, I put in the taco seasoning, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. If I'm using leftover taco meat, it already has the taco seasoning, so I omit that, but add the others. If I just want to hurry up and get things done, no matter the state of my meat, I put in extra taco seasoning (like 3 Tbsp total) and some oregano and call it good. If you want things spicy, now's the time to add in some cayenne powder, chipotle powder, or even just more chili powder. Stir that seasoning in.
4. Add the tomato sauce and all the beans. Stir to combine and let the chili come to a very gentle bubble, staying close by to give it an occasional stir so it doesn't stick. Add some broth if you want your chili to be thinner. Hit it up with some more salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust spices or salt as necessary.
5. You're done! You can eat immediately, or let it simmer on medium-low heat (you don't want it to bubble unless you're going to stand there and stir it) for 15-45 minutes to let the flavors meld.
6. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, diced tomato, chopped onion, corn bread, corn chips, or homemade baked corn tortilla strips. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer forever.
Notes: If you're using leftover meat—and indeed that's what this recipe was formulated for and why the spices are kind of nuts—then you might need to adjust the bean count. If you only have a little meat, add another can of pinto beans, or, if you roll that way, kidney beans. If you're making it from scratch and want extra chili, go ahead and double the recipe. It freezes great.
My taco seasoning has corn starch in it, and I love how it thickens the chili just a little. Your mileage (and taco seasoning) may vary.
Questions? Ask 'em!