Chili

I made chili for dinner one night this summer when were out camping. When the kids asked me what was for dinner, I braced myself for the whining and complaining... and sure enough, "awwwwww.... not Chili, that's yucky!". But what I did was serve theirs over a toasted bun with a little sprinkle of cheese on top. Well, they LOVED it, they gobbled it all up. It's a wonder what a little sprinkle of cheese can do (and no, no amount of sprinkled cheese will ever persuade me to ingest a green pea - ICK).

We've had chili a few times since then, Mario and I love it, so we want to take advantage of this chili-love-fest the kids are having. Their preferences change like the wind, and any day now they might pronounce they hate it again.

Last night, my Mom and Dad were babysitting the kids while Mario and I went to a wedding. For dinner they all ate leftover Chili from a batch I made earlier this week. I made sure to tell my Mom about the cheese sprinkling tip. This morning, Claire says to me, "Grandma wants to get the recipe for your Chili, she says she liked it better than hers".

Now that was interesting, because this is already her recipe, and I never changed a thing! Just goes to show, everything tastes better when you didn't have to make it yourself.


Chili

2 tsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 lbs ground beef
1 28oz diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
2 19 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
few drops worcestershire sauce
few drops hot sauce (or more to taste)

1. Brown beef in oil with onions and garlic. Drain fat.

2. Add all other ingredients and simmer for at least an hour, preferably two.

3. Remove bay leave and serve.