| Think you can't cook? Think again; super easy chili | | | | what you've already put in with the above spices, |
| recipes are one way to feed yourself and/or | | | | you can choose a variety of canned tomatoes |
| your family, and not for a lot of money. And lest | | | | that has green chilies included. |
| you think you have to slave over a hot stove all | | | | For really quick and easy chili, you can stir in all of |
| day long to do this, rest assured you don't. Most | | | | the ingredients, bring to a boil, and then reduce |
| recipes can be thrown together in a few minutes | | | | the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. |
| and cooked for under an hour; alternatively, of | | | | After that, let the chili sit in the pot for another |
| course, you can also use a crockpot for some of | | | | 15 minutes to absorb more flavors and improve |
| them. | | | | even further. |
| If you are a vegetarian, leave the ground beef | | | | For a little refinement, you can stir the chili |
| out of the recipes or substitute textured | | | | powder and cumin into the meat first, sauté, |
| vegetable protein for a meat like texture. You can | | | | and then add the rest of the ingredients. |
| find textured vegetable protein (TVP) at health | | | | Variations |
| food stores or online. | | | | Besides the vegetarian substitution of textured |
| Basic "super easy chili" directions | | | | vegetable protein for the meat, you can also add |
| If you're using ground beef, choose ground sirloin | | | | ground turkey instead of ground beef if you want |
| and use about a pound's worth, then add a little | | | | a dish that's lower in saturated fat. |
| salt and pepper. Cook it in a crockpot or Dutch | | | | For a more "Italian" flavor, add half a cup of |
| oven over medium heat, stirring, until the meat is | | | | chopped red bell pepper, half a teaspoon dried |
| done. You can drain the fat off to lower the fat | | | | oregano, and five cloves of chopped garlic to the |
| content or can use a baster to remove grease | | | | recipe above. With this variation, add the garlic |
| without having to remove the meat. | | | | and red bell pepper to the cooked meat, stir for |
| Ingredients to add | | | | three to four minutes, and then add the remaining |
| With super easy chili, really, the sky's the limit. | | | | ingredients. |
| You can add just about anything you've got in | | | | For more kick, you can also add more green |
| your pantry and refrigerator and make a decent | | | | chilies besides those that are already included in |
| chili recipe as long as it "fits" the general flavor. | | | | the tomatoes above, up to two 4-ounce cans, |
| One possible variation is to take a pound of | | | | drained and rinsed. If you want a milder chili, you |
| ground sirloin, and add the following spices: | | | | can omit the chilies altogether, and you can use |
| - Half a teaspoon of salt | | | | tomatoes that do not have green chilies included. |
| - A quarter teaspoon of pepper | | | | These are pretty basic instructions, but as you |
| - Half a teaspoon of cumin | | | | can see, chili is meant to be a self-invented recipe |
| - 2 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder | | | | to some extent. Have some fun with ingredients |
| To that, add a 15-ounce can of kidney beans that | | | | you've already got in your pantry, refrigerator |
| have been rinsed and drained, some ketchup (a | | | | and freezer, and see what you come up with. |
| tablespoon or two), and a cup and a half of | | | | Remember that it's meant to be fun and easy, so |
| water. Add two 10-ounce cans of tomatoes | | | | be creative! |
| (undrained). If you want some spice in addition to | | | | |