Make Ahead Monday: My Favorite Chili Recipe

Phew… we’ve had a heck of a couple of weeks around here. I’ve managed to squeeze in a tiny bit of sewing time but not much writing time so I’m backlogged with a few projects to post.

It’s only week 2 of my Make Ahead Mondays and here I am trying to quickly squeeze in a post before heading up to squeeze in a little Walking Dead with my honey so I’ll make this one quick.

What’s your favorite “go-to”, “I don’t really have to think about it” recipe? Mine is chili. When we’re down on creativity or looking for a simple comfort food, we slap together this quicky for an awesome, simple make ahead.

Make Ahead Monday: My Favorite Chili

Ingredients:

2lbs ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (..or more if you live in my house)

1 large can (28oz) of diced or stewed tomatoes

1 large can (28oz) of Bush’s Baked Beans (ok… processed, yes. Simplicity? I’ll take it!)

1-2 cans of dark red kidney beans (depending on how beany you like it)

3TB of chili powder

1TB ground cumin

2TB brown sugar

1tsp of red chili flakes (or more to your liking!)

Directions:

Soften your onion and garlic in a pan. Add the ground beef and brown. You can make this in a large pot if you’re eating it right away or toss it into a crockpot if you’re making it a few hours ahead. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients and let it bubble away. (2-3 hours on low in a crockpot; 20-30 minutes simmering on the stovetop.) That’s pretty much it!

Cool and store in the fridge for a make ahead. Toss it in an airtight container or freezer bag for the freezer. It will keep a couple of months in the freezer (…but it’s so easy to pull together fresh, I tend to do it that way.)

 that's cumin and chili powder in those tins

mom's stewed tomatoes & "Uncle Alfred's" beef

 why mince garlic when you can microplane everything!

Enjoy!

Now how do you garnish your chili? I DARE you to comment and tell me. I think it says a lot about a person. Me? I like a little cheddar cheese, a tablespoon of sour cream and a few crackers on the side. Maybe a little fresh diced onion if I’m feeling crazy (or my husband is participating. This is his favorite!)