Eisenhauer’s Midwestern Chili

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INGREDIENTS
1/2 med. yellow onion, diced
2-3 lb ground (lean) ground beef
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
A few dashes of red pepper
2 T Chili powder
1 med. bell pepper, diced
1 32 oz. can Diced tomatoes
2 T Sugar
1 Qt (or so) Water
1 32 oz. can dark kidney beans (drained, not rinsed)

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, saute diced onions in about a tablespoon or two in vegetable oil for about 2 minutes. Brown ground beef. Break up into little chunks as it’s browning (however, don’t stir too much as you don’t want the texture to be too fine). Add salt, pepper, and red pepper, stir well to blend. Then add diced bell pepper and saute for a few minutes. Next, add the diced tomatoes (with juice) and chile powder, blending thoroughly (you may need more chili powder depending on the heat level). Add enough water to cover the meat mixture. Bring to almost a boil then turn heat down to a simmer until the tomatoes start breaking down (approx. 45 minutes).

Add sugar (first one tablespoon and then the next one or even two if a sweeter taste is desired). While simmering, add more water as needed. As you begin to see a nice texture, add the kidney beans. Adjust seasonings to your preferred taste (we always recommend tasting as you go and frequent stirring!).

Serve with Saltine crackers spread with butter. For a little added color, you may add diced red and yellow bell peppers and some fresh parsley.