This is a homemade chili recipe that I have improved and tweaked over the course of the past 12 years or so. My husband prefers it to be served with just Saltine Crackers and I like to add a little Aardvark hot sauce and a dab of sour cream. If you are adventurous you can choose to top the finished product with a little sliced avocado, chopped red onion, cilantro, and freshly shredded white cheddar cheese. Consider this a choose your own adventure meal and dig in.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons avocado oil 2 medium Spanish onions, medium chopped into 1/2 Inch cubes 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into medium Inch cubes. 8 baby Bella mushrooms slice. 10 medium garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup chili powder. 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin 3 teaspoons ground coriander. 2 teaspoons red pepper flake. 1 teaspoon dried oregano. 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (beef) 1 1/2 pounds ground sausage (spicy or not your choice)  1 (15 ounce) can of dark red kidney beans. 1 (15 ounce)  can of light red kidney beans. 2 (28 ounce) cans of crushed red pepper any brand you prefer (I like Cento or any San Marzano brand)  1 (12 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes (any brand)  Salt and pepper to taste 

Step by step instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until oil is shimmering, but not smoking. 

2. Add the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, cayenne, and cook until the vegetables are soft. This step should take approximately 10minutes, but use your judgement and test the veggies with a fork to ensure doness.

3. Increase heat to medium high. Begin to add the meat 1 pound at a time. Be sure to cook until the meat is no longer pink. Each pound should take about 5 minutes to brown. (do not burn the meats) 

4. While the meat is cooking, open and pour both cans of beans into a strainer and rinse under warm water. 

5. Open the canned tomatoes and add them along with the rinsed kidney beans and add into the meat and veggies.

6. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat to simmer for 1 hour. Covered. Be sure to stir the chili every 15 minutes or so.

7. After the hour remove lid, stir again, and summer for an additional hour uncovered. Make sure to stir occasionally. 

8. After the hour is up taste the chili and add seasonings as needed. In the end it’s up to you how spicy or seasoned you would like the chili to be. 

9. Serve the chili in a bowl and top with anything you please. Taste great alongside a cold and fresh IPA.

Voila!

From the beginning to end  this dish is made with love and care, and the chili served is world class delicious. It’s easy to recreate and make your own variations if need be. I hope you enjoyed making this recipe as much as we do and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Cheers!

*** This recipe was part of the 31 day #RealityWrites challenge which runs for the whole month of October. Head over to the https://www.theliteralchallenge.com/ for more details and maybe even join in for the next writing challenge. ***