It feels as though I did almost nothing but cook from Thursday through Sunday. We had bacon and eggs so many times that there’s a lingering bacon smell permeating the entire downstairs. Except for Saturday when I spent the late morning and early afternoon volunteering at a pet adoption event, I cooked three meals every day.
For the first time since I competed in a co-worker’s chili cookoff, I made chili. I took some of what I’d observed about my favorite entries in the competition and modified my own recipe very successfully. Here it is:
Average Jane’s Chili
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped fine
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 can each: red beans, black beans and pinto beans
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chilis
1 cup frozen corn
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Few shakes Tabasco sauce
Ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Begin browning ground beef and add onion, jalapeño, green pepper and garlic. Once beef is fully browned, add beans, corn, Ro-Tel tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Stir in brown sugar, spices and Worcestershire sauce; let simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or more to let flavors meld together. Serve garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream and a pickled jalapeño slice.
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