Andy's Easy Red Chili

It's barely above freezing this morning so I'm thinking about how good a pot of chili would be on a night like this.

 Andy makes a simple red chili we love to eat. It's not spicy, but you can add as much heat to it as  you want. We love to eat it with my homemade pimiento cheese scooped up in a Frito Scoops chip with a jalapeno on top. The combination of the hot chili, cold, tangy cheese, salty Frito and hot jalapeno is to die for!!

When we compared chili recipes, he thought mine was just not chili in his opinion...kind of like how he thinks white chili is not chili. Thankfully we are an agree to disagree type of couple and normally agree the majority of the time. Both of ours are very similar so since half of you might have the same taste I do, I've included my additions and substitutions.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. hamburger 

1 medium/large chopped onion*

1 can pinto beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1-2 12 oz. cans tomato juice 

Tomato paste

Chili powder, salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet or the pot you planning on cooking the chili in, brown hamburger and chopped onion*

Salt & pepper the meat and onions and cook. Drain fat when meat is cooked through and onions are tender.

Add one can drained pinto beans (you don't have to rinse, just drain the extra liquid off), diced tomatoes (or diced Mexican tomatoes if you like more flavor**), tomato juice (More flavor substitute with V-8)***. Start with one can and add another if you like your chili soupier.. Andy wants the spoon to stand up in the pot and if it doesn't, he adds a can of tomato paste to thicken 

Add chili powder to taste.**** 

Serve with pimiento cheese, jalapeño and Fritos. Or, top on a hot dog with cole slaw!

Denise's Additional/Substituted Chili Ingredients

*Add green peppers to the meat and onions. 

**Mexican tomatoes

***V-8 juice

****For heat add cayenne pepper or hot sauce.