Beans intimidate me. Not because they cause gas, though that should scare me enough to keep them out of our meals considering a certain somebody that I live with. I won’t mention names. I’ll just say it’s one of my husbands 
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But seriously, I have never soaked a bean in my life. I prefer canned. My mom tells me it’s not a big deal but for a Brooke like me, it is. Soaking beans makes me nervous. What if I mess up? It’s part of the perfectionist in me. Something I am working on in 2013. Because I know that if I mess up it’s not the end of the world but somehow I can’t bring myself to try something that I think I will be horrible at. Negative self-talk. That’s all it is. Bad!
So, I don’t make chili often. In fact, I’ve only ever tried one other recipe (another cheater version) before this one. And it was pretty good but after trying this one I’ll never turn back! We all loved it!
Make it, you’ll like it…
- 2 large cans (28 oz.) chili beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 – 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 28 oz. tomato juice
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used green)
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2 T. chili powder (I used heaping Tablespoons)
- 1 T. red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the onion and bell pepper in a little olive or vegetable oil until fragrant. Add the ground beef and brown. In a large pot combine all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, uncovered. Garnish with sour cream and cheese if desired.
