Halloween Chili

Chili's a Halloween tradition at our house. I don't care if we ARE still running the A/C and it's 96 degrees outside -- we can still eat chili! My mom did almost all the cooking when we were kids, but my dad made a mean pot of chili! And it's a really easy recipe.

Kirwin's Chili

1 to 1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1/2 chili seasoning packet -- to taste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
4 cans of chili beans
Grated sharp cheddar cheese

Brown the hamburger in a large pot. After de-greasing, add the chopped onions and green peppers and saute. Add half the chili seasoning packet or less (until you figure out the level of HEAT). After mixing the seasoning into the meat, add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 4 cans of chili beans. You may need to add a little water to thin the consistency. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Spoon chili into bowls and top with sharp grated cheddar. A friend of ours also uses chopped onions and yellow mustard as a topper. That's way too gourmet for us. Ha! Corn bread makes an excellent addition to the meal, but we usually just add crackers.

Ready to simmer!

While you're waiting for the chili to cook, take a look at this little sightseeing tour with Luis Miguel. Love this song!