From Scratch Chili

In Northeast Ohio it has reached a whole 33 degrees today! That's a heat wave compared to where we are going. 

Yeah, Tuesday, I'm talking to you and your high of -2!

Either way, cold weather makes us want to eat something filling and warm. In our house, it's homemade chili.

The best thing about this recipe: IT'S A CROCK POT MEAL! Lovin' my crock pot during the school year. It requires little work and I can have dinner ready by the time I get home. Never mind that I usually make enough to last us two days. 

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Direcitons

1.  Brown the ground meat with about 1/4 t salt, 1/2 t black pepper, Cayenne pepper, chili pepper, and 1 t of cumin. Do not drain the meat while browning. Once it is fully cooked, put the green peppers in with the meat to fry for a few minutes. 

2. While the meat and green peppers are cooking drain and rinse your beans and corn. If you're using canned diced tomatoes that are not "chili ready" drain those too. Just don't rinse them. Throw all of it in the crock pot with the tomato sauce and tomato paste. (I found using 1/2 sauce and 1/2 paste makes for a thicker chili. If you want something thinner then use one 15 oz. can of sauce.)

3. Drain your meat/pepper mix and add to the crock pot. 

4. Use the chili pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt to taste. We also use onion powder (since we have an allergy to onion skins, but we want the taste) and a little bit of garlic if the mood strikes us. If you want a hotter chili use more of the chili and cayenne peppers with the cumin. In our house I eyeball it to be about: 1 1/2 t of each type of pepper and the cumin and about 1 t of salt.)

5. Mix it all together and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2lbs ground beef.
  
• 1 chopped green pepper
  
• 1 bag of frozen corn (canned works well too.)
  
• 1 can black beans
  
• 1 can red kidney beans
  
• 1 can diced tomatoes (Fresh tomatoes work even better, but I usually don't make this when they are in season.)
  
• 1 t cumin
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• onion powder to taste (optional) A chopped onion works well to.
• salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.