Day 7: Chili

Peyton does not do vegetables, but she will eat kidney beans. She especially likes them if they have flavor to them. So, tonight I decided to go with one of my childhood favorites and make my mom's chili in hopes that she would at least eat the beans.

My favorite thing about this chili recipe is how easy it is to make. When I talked to my dad earlier this afternoon, he told me that he and Angie were making chili tonight too, but that they had already started cooking it. Total cook and prep time for his chili is about 4 hours. My recipe takes about 65 minutes total. Super easy, super yummy.

Cathi's Chili
1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1/2 cup diced green peppers, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup diced onions, fresh or frozen
1 Tbs chili powder
2 Tbs water
2 teas sugar
2 teas salt
2 cups whole tomatoes, crushed
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
1) cook ground beef, drain
2) add all ingredients except beans
3) Cook 1/2 hour on low
4) add beans and cook another 1/2 hour.
5) Add chili powder and water to taste

Kitchen Play by Play: I cooked the ground beef, and then enlisted the help of the kids to add all the other ingredients. Austin and I crushed the tomatoes with our bare hands. It's my favorite part, but Austin crushed three tomatoes before he looked at his hands and said, "I'm done." He went straight to the sink to wash his hands. I always add about 1/4 cup of the tomato juice from the can because I like a juicy chili. I stirred the chili about every ten minutes just to make sure it did not burn. I grew up eating chili over elbow noodles with cheddar cheese sprinkled on top. We also eat saltine crackers with butter on them and scoop the chili mac onto the crackers. We were too hungry tonight, and I completely forgot to take a picture. Sorry :(

The Verdict:
Nicole: This chili never disappoints. I love it. But to be honest, I actually like it better on the second day which is saying a lot because I do not do leftovers. I give it a very strong 4.

Paul: He wasn't home tonight, but based on past chili dinners he gives it a 5. " Good meaty flavor, the right amount of spice, and beans."

Austin: He crushes all his crackers on top of his chili and then eats his entire bowl. He gives Grandma Cathi's chili a 22. He told me he loved it much more than a 5.

Peyton: Mission accomplished. She dug out every single bean in her bowl plus the 20 extra I threw in. She liked the crackers too but wanted nothing to do with the meaty component of this chili.