Chili

It's another cool, rainy day in the nation's capitol today.  Considering that last week on a similar day, my umbrella flipped inside out and I had to wrestle with it on the stairs of the metro, I will be walking home in the rain without that thin veil of protection.  It's cool - I will just have mascara running down my cheeks and my wool sweater will smell like a wet dog.  But really.  It's fine.  You know why?  Because I have leftover chili just sitting in the fridge waiting to be reheated.  Waiting to be eaten in front of the TV (once I have changed into my pajamas).  So really, it's perfectly fine.  I'm even kind of looking forward to it. 

Unrelated topic: last night while I was making this Chili, I remembered these tea towels that I bought at a craft fair in Adams Morgan a few weeks ago!  Aren't they neat?  They are made by this woman from up in Philadelphia (Girls Can Tell) and she makes a ton of really awesome stuff.  Click here to see what she offers!

Anyway, you probably want some chili by now...

CHILI

Recipe from Mom

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 lb. ground beef

~1 c. dried kidney beans

1 can tomato sauce

1 lg. can crushed tomatoes

chili powder

oregano
cayenne
paprika

tobasco sauce

salt & pepper

1.  Soak your kidney beans in water overnight...or if you want your soup tonight and not tomorrow put the beans in a saucepan.  Cover with water and simmer until softened (still won't be as soft as canned).  About 1 hour.  Continue to add water so the beans are always covered.  If you don't have time for that either, you could buy canned kidney beans (1 can).

2.  Cut up your onion and garlic and throw it in the pot with your ground beef.  Cook until all of the meat is cooked thoroughly.

3.  Drain fat out of the meat/onion mixture.

4.  Add beans, tomatoes, sauce, and spices.  (Taste it and adjust the chili/tobasco as you like it)

5.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

That's it!  Pretty simple.  Not a lot of beans to please the picky eaters and the beans that are in there don't get mushy like canned beans.

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