Average Jane Gets Cooking

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.

Comments

[Kennon]

Even though I'm a Texan and adamantly opposed to beans in chili ;) I will definitely give this recipe a shot!
One thing I discovered that's good in chili is (believe it or not, it sounds pretty weird at first) is coconut. I cooked chili for some friends at my house and a friend brought over coconut and I said "you're not putting that in my chili", he said "just try it".
Well I did and I'll never eat chili without it now. Give it a shot.
I can't wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing.

[Keith]

You don't put cumin in ?

[Aimee]

I'm impressed. I made chili this morning. here's my recipe:
1 large can of pinto beans
2 small cans of kideny beans
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 jar pace picante salsa
1.5 pound ground beef
chili powder
in the crock pot.
the end. hehe.

[colleen]

so how did you place?

[Amanda]

yay Ro-Tel! a Texan co-worker of mine recently introduced me to Ro-Tel, and boy does it ever help with making any kind of Southwestern style food. I love it.

[East Coast Girl]

You forgot the cumin -- it's just not chili without the cumin!

[Average Jane]

All you cumin-heads: Chili power has ample cumin in it. Do you really recommend that I add more?

[MLE]

What, no bourbon? :D Dan makes chili with no beans (boo!) and buys a can of beans so I can mix some into mine. His chili is fantastic - try a splash of bourbon sometime!

[East Coast Girl]

For my personal taste, I always use chili powder AND cumin -- I just don't think you get enough of the smoky flavor of the cumin in chili powder alone -- but that's just me!

[Big Momma Pimpalishisness]

Yum, yum that looks good, I'm going to have to try your recipe 'cus I don't have one of my own. And now I really want chili.