{recetas} Stoplight Chili

I had to play around with the name of this recipe a little bit. Part of me wanted to call it "But the Kitchen Sink Chili" because you can throw just about anything into the pot and it will taste good (except, of course, the kitchen sink).

Then, I wanted to name it "Expiration Date Chili." Does anyone watch The Middle? There was an episode about how they have "Expiration Date Soup." SO funny.

Okay, quick side note. I always read the blog Simply Anchored, (she's great, go read her blog! and, she has a babe about the same age as mine...) and she always mentions how she has a glass of wine while blogging or perusing the internet at night. Since the birth of my little man, I just haven't felt relaxed slash organized enough

to sit down and blog with a glass of wine. It's in a juice glass though. The wine glasses are up really high (above the fridge-yes, I'm short) and I didn't feel like getting out the step stool. Wine in a juice glass it is!

BUT! I am doing it now (and folding laundry, as you can see by the socks on the coffee table).

Oh yeah. The recipe. And it's name. I decided upon Stoplight Chili because I had a green and yellow pepper that needed to be used. So I chopped them and added them to the pot. And since chili is red, I had a stoplight in a pot (plus mushrooms. I love mushrooms). Mushrooms, though, turn a lot of people off, so you can definitely leave them out!

What you need:

• 1 package of mushrooms (optional)
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 (10 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 can of mild chili ready beans
• minced onion
• chili powder
• cayenne pepper
• garlic powder
• sour cream (optional)
• cheese (optional)

What you do:

• This is really hard, so pay close attention.
• First, chop the vegetables and add them to a pot.
• Next, brown some ground beef in a frying pan. While it is browning, add a sprinkle or two of the cayenne pepper and a bit (about half a teaspoon) of the minced onion. Continue to cook the meat through.

• Next, open your cans of tomatoes, beans, and tomatoes with chilies. Add these to the same pot as the chopped vegetables.
• When the meat is cooked, add it to the pot as well (do you see how easy this is?). Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Sprinkle in some garlic powder (about half a teaspoon), some cayenne pepper (half a teaspoon), and some chili powder (one teaspoon). The problem is that I don't measure my seasonings/spices very often. I sprinkle a little bit, stir, and taste. It seems to work.
• Soon, the chili will boil. Allow it to continue until the vegetables are soft, or cooked to your liking. My dad doesn't like soft (or "mushy" according to him) vegetables, so there is always a little crunch to his chili.
• Serve and enjoy! I always include sour cream and cheese for my husband. I don't particularly care for either, so I leave them out. And, I usually forget to buy them. So the hubs doesn't have them all the time either (like tonight). Whoops.