Chili to Warm you on a Snowy day!

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My little family is spending this winter in Newport, RI while my husband goes through some training. Before we got to Rhode Island my little one had only seen snow falling once before in her life. Well, things have definitely changed…after a few little snow falls and a Nor’easter called Nemo she has become quite used to the white, fluffy stuff. Last weekend after Nemo we were able to get some good snow play in. When we came inside we were cold, tired and hungry. On a snowy day there’s only one type of food that I want to satisfy my hunger and that’s a nice, warm bowl of chili.

Two things I love about this recipe: it mostly uses ingredients I readily have available in my pantry, and it’s versatile—I’ve made this recipe with both kidney beans and black beans. I’ve also made it on the stove top and in a slow cooker, no matter the variations this chili comes out great every time (see how to make the variations in the cook’s note).

Cook’s Note:

For a rich, thick consistency, cook the chili with the lid on for half of the cooking time. If you are a fan of spicy food, consider using a little more of the red pepper flakes or cayenne–or both. The flavor of the chili improves with age; if possible, make it a day or up to five days in advance and reheat before serving. Leftovers can be frozen for up to a month.

Slow Cooker Option: At the end of step 1, transfer the cooked beef mixture to a slow cooker; add the rest of the ingredients as directed in step 2. Cook the chili on the high setting for four hours.

I like to serve this chili with my favorite corn bread recipe.

Simple Beef Chili

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Serves	8-10
Meal type	Main Dish, Soup
Misc	Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Website	Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions (about 2 cups woth)
• 1 large red bell pepper (cut into 1/2 cubes)
• 6 medium garlic cloves (minced, about 2 Tablespoons worth)
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2lb lean ground beef
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes (with the juice)
• 1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
• lable salt (to taste)

Garnish

• limes
• avocado (diced)
• sour cream
• scallions (sliced)
• cheddar cheese (shredded)

Directions

Step 1

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2

Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with garnishes, if desired.