Chili

We're all sick around here.  Getting our colds out of the way before the holidays, I suppose.  Chili was on the menu earlier in the week and I'm glad we put it off.  With the rain outside this weekend and the sniffles hogging the day, something spicy sounded good.

I'm glad I'd made arrangements to share this with friends too, because it made A LOT.  Yummy as all get out, but there was a lot!  I think I'd cut the portions in half next time.

I got this recipe from one of my aunt's friends.  They used to go to those cooking classes at the department store - the ones where they try to get you to buy the things they use in the class?  Anyway, Jackie entered the chili contest and won, so we went to the store to watch her lead one of the cooking classes one day. This was her recipe!

Jacqueline's Chili

2 TBS Olive oil
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 hot italian sausages
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1/2 c. red wine
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3TBS chili powder
2 30 oz cans chili beans (do not drain)
2 27 oz cans red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

Heat chili pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. (I use Le Creuset round - size 26) (Cooking/sales class, remember!).  Add some olive oil to pot and take Italian sausage out of casings and crumble into hot pan.  Start browning and crumbling sausage. Push to one side of the pot.  Then put ground sirloin into pot and let cook 5 minutes (no stirring!)  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chopped onions to browning sausage on one side of pot (save some onions for garnish).  Saute and season with salt and pepper.  Flip over ground sirlolin; season again with salt and pepper and when almost cooked, start crumbling with wooden spatula.  Add red pepper flakes.  Stir sausage, onions and browned ground sirloin.  Sprinkle in chili powder and stir.

Continue cooking for 3 minutes, then add wine.  Stir and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Taste this mixture and season as needed.  Add chili beans, kidney beans, black beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.  Stir and cook over medium heat.

Taste and add more chili powder to taste.  Add small amount of water to empty cans, swish, and add to pot.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low heat and continue cooking.  This chili is ready to eat as soon as it is hot, or simmer it for hours.

She tops each bowl with Velveeta and green onions.  My husband like sour cream, but since I can'd do any dairy, I eat it as is!  Yummy!