So far, this is my favorite chili on the planet. Nothing in a restaurant and nothing I’ve made in the past compares to this. We both love it. It’s a take on Lonestar restaurant’s recipe. You can saute real onion and garlic but you don’t have to. I came up with the idea to add a red bell pepper as I had it in my fridge one day.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- onion powder and garlic powder**
- 15 oz. can kidney beans with liquid**
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, plain**
- 16 oz. can tomato sauce**
- 1 cup water
- 1 T. white vinegar**
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. chili powder (add more if your chili powder is very bland, add less if it’s very potent)**
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: 3/4 to 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- Optional Final Toppings: grated cheddar cheese, croutons, oyster crackers, bread, sour cream, etc.
**Known IC irritants. Tread carefully!
DIRECTIONS:
- Brown beef in a large saucepan over medium heat, drain fat. Add onion and garlic powder, cook one minute. Remove beef to side plate or add to your main soup pot you plan on cooking in.
- (OPTIONAL) Leave some residual beef fat, or add olive oil to pan, and saute your red bell pepper, if using.
- Add remaining ingredients to your soup pot (excluding the last line: cheese, croutons etc) and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I cover it 90% with a lid to keep evaporation down.
- Let cool slightly and serve with garnishes listed in “Optional Final Toppings”
