Cold Weather Food: A Big Pot of Chili

It's time to break out the "dang, it's cold today" food, and since the weather has left the roads conditions less than ideal, it has to be stuff I found in my pantry and freezer.  Chili it is.  I decided to try this pin, because the author of the recipe makes it fun! 

He said to brown a  couple of pounds of ground beef, but I only had two hamburger patties.  That's fine- we're not huge meat eaters in my house anyway.  I'm using my enameled cast iron dutch oven to make this dish.

The recipe says to use "lots and lots" of onions." That's two onions on that plate.

I added the onions to the cooked beef.

Then added green peppers. (I buy them on sale, chop them up, and flash freeze them for days like this.)

I also added a squirt of garlic paste in lieu of chopped garlic.

Next, I twisted some pepper in using my pepper mill.

I added cumin and chili powder. (I buy spices that I go through a lot of at Sams.  Wayyy cheaper that way!)

Then I added some cayenne pepper. (optional)

Next came tomato paste.  I buy things in giant cans at Sams Club for a song, then sort them out into ziplock freezer bags. If I'm feeling particularly organized, I'll label them using Avery labels printed out on my computer.  If I'm in a hurry, I'll just write it on the Avery label.

Next, add beer.  I used what we had in the house, which happened to be Sapporo. 

Plus a generous squirt of Rooster Sauce. 

Let it simmer for an hour and a half.  (That's why it's so good on a snowy, cold day!)

Next, add the beans. (I buy giant cans of beans and freeze them in serving sizes too!)  Let it summer several more hours.

The result was so delicious.  We had ours with crumbled crackers and shredded cheese.