(Winter Won't End!) Chili

   Chili is sort of a personal thing, everyone makes it different, and everyone has different opinions about how it should be made.

   Well, this version is my own, the way we like it 'round here. : )   You can add a bit of brown sugar if you like a sweet touch, or make it hotter with a dash of Tobasco sauce, whatever floats your boat! 

    This winter has been a doozie, and a doozie of a winter deserves a warm and comforting chili! So, enjoy this, the Van Londersele's version of chili! 
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Chili (Van Londersele Style)
*Feeds 8 adults (approximately) 

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Onions, diced
• 3 lbs Ground meat (I generally use just beef, but pork, turkey, chicken or venison would work too). I used half beef and half venison this time around. 
• 3-4 Tbsp Chili seasoning, or make your own
• 1 Tbsp paprika 
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 can diced tomatoes (796 lm, 28 oz liq) Or 4 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 can each chick peas, black beans, and kidney beans (each 540 lm, 19 fl oz.), drained and rinsed. 
•  1 cup corn (I use one drained canned, or frozen)
• 2 Cans tomato sauce (640 ml)
• Optional for garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, green onion, salsa, crumbled corn chips, diced peppers or cucumber (basically, whatever you might like in a taco will probably taste great on here!).

Method:

1. In a large pot, with the heat to medium-high, add olive oil and heat up. Add onions and sauté until translucent.
2. Add ground meat, and cook, chopping up the bigger bits as you go. Add the seasonings as the meat is cooking. Cook until no pink remains in the meat. 
3. Add the diced tomatoes, and stir to incorporate and pick up the flavours from the meat and spices. Add the drained beans, corn and tomato sauce, and stir to combine. 
4. Turn the heat to medium and allow to come to a gentle simmer, then turn to low. 

   
​    You can eat the chilli at this point, but it tastes much better once it has had a chance to sit and simmer. I generally will make this in the morning, and leave it simmering until dinner. If you have a large enough crock pot, you can brown the meat (with the spices) in a frying pan, then throw it, and everything else into the crock pot until you get home from work (or wherever), and have a lovely dinner waiting! 
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   So, how does the chili you make/are used to differ from this? Is there anything you like to add to yours that you would love to share with me!?!

   And how are you feeling about this winter.....? 

   
   xoxo
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