Diner-style Chili with Cheese

Serves 8 in about 1 hour. The pot starts with ground beef, then sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• ½ cup green bell pepper diced
• ½ cup celery diced
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 4 tablespoons chili powder (not the hot variety)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• Chopped cilantro
• Cheese

Method

1. Warm a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over a lively medium heat. Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked all the way.
2. Pour away all but 2 Tablespoons of the excess grease.
3. Stir in the onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Simmer for about 5 minutes, while stirring now and then, until the vegetables begin to soften.
4. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Mix well.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well to combine.
6. Heat the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low.
7. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 60 minutes, while stirring now and then, until the vegetables are tender and the chili has thickened.
8. Mix well and taste. Tip in additional salt if needed. Plate hot with your favorite chili toppings.

More soups and stews ideas are in the soups and stews collection.