Rainy Day Chili

Next time I will put the bowl on a different-colored surface. See, I'm learnin' me some pho-to-graffy, slowly but surely.

I've tried several versions of homemade chili, but didn't find a winner until today. My last version was delicious but extremely spicy, even with cheese and sour cream added in to tone it down. As the hubs said, "It's good in a burn-your-face-off kind of way." And usually he adores face-burning food, but after a few bites it just really got to be too much.

This one, however, has a very slight burn to it while still managing to be really flavorful. Plus, you can just chuck it all in the crock pot early in the day and have a wonderful meal waiting for you come dinnertime. You can eat it with chips, crackers, cornbread, or over baked potatoes (which is what we did, since my mom sent me home from our 4th of July celebration with about fifty of them). Happy tummies!

Rainy Day Chili

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed*
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled**
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 c. water
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1 1/2 t. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
several dashes Tabasco sauce

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Serve with jack or cheddar cheese sprinkled on top. Enjoy with your favorite starchy accompaniment. :)

*Really you can use any kinds of beans you want; I just prefer to have three different kinds. But you must drain and rinse. Bean juice is gross, man. And one of my least favorite smells ever!

**You can use more meat if you feel so inclined, but I freeze and use all of my ground beef in half-pound increments, because I'm cheap. :)