Dad's Chili

My wife doesn't like the consistency... it's too thick. It's my favorite chili, of course. I really like the texture of the chili and the nice big chunks of meat. Chili is really easy to adapt with all kinds of ingredients, so don't be afriad to add or omit as you see fit. My Aunt Jane makes a mean chili with different meat and vegetables - sirloin steak, corn, and several kinds of beans. If I can get her recipe (and my Aunt Sue's recipe, for which she's won a Chili cook-off award) I'll try to post 'em.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs ground beef
• 1 Chili-O Onion seasoning packet (this is cheating, but it's a nice shortcut)
• 2 Chili-O Texas style seasoning packet
• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce (also cheating; you can use real tomatoes and puree 'em if you want)
• 1 15 oz can bush's chili beans
• 1 15 oz can brooks chili beans
• Pinch of Cayenne or Red Pepper Flakes

As I Got It...

My chili is easy... For every lb of hamburger I add fresh onion.. Usually one chopped coarsely and brown it with the burger... Drain and add chilio and I like to use the texas style and one onion style mix... No water... 15oz can of tomato sauce and a 15oz can of chili beans for every lb. of burger.. I like to mix it up and use Bush's Hot beans and at least one can of Brooks hot beans.. They are different but go together well... Then simmer slowly over low heat stirring often so it doesn't burn... And add some water if needed after it has simmered covered for at least 1/2 hour... The only other thing I do is add some red pepper flakes... 1Tbs or some cayenne... To add more spice.

My Notes...

As I said above, this is a versatile dish. You can improvise to your own tastes. For instance, I tend to use 2 cans of beans for 3 lbs of meat. I also like to add a can of crushed or diced tomatoes (or the appropriate amount of fresh stuff, if you've got 'em). I also drop in a bit of hot sauce in the late fall, when it's getting cold but you're still tailgating (because you're hardcore). Finally, I like to top my chili with sour cream and cheddar cheese. Serve with a nice warm roll or slab of fresh bread.