Chili

Here's a chili recipe my family really likes. I love a good bowl of chili and have several different recipes bookmarked to try this winter. This is a good basic chili recipe. You can easily alter the recipe to suit your tastes. One thing I love about this recipe is that it doesn't have chunks of tomato in it, so my kids will eat it. (That ranks high on the priority list for me. ) Another thing I love is that is can be made in the slow cooker and left to simmer all day. When dinner time rolls around your main dish is already done. I think chili is better the next day so if I can I try to make it the day before.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup chili powder

Tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, green onions if desired for garnish.

DIRECTIONS
Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.
In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. (Note: If using a slow cooker, set on low, add ingredients, and cook for 8 to 10 hours.) Garnish if desired.