Homemade Chili

There's nothing quite like homemade chili. You can do so much with it, from eating it in a bowl, to making enchiladas, to chili mac, to Mexican pizza, to Frito pie, and more! Homemade chili can be the base for many recipes. Let your imagination be your guide!

My favorite way to make chili starts with 5 pounds of lean ground beef. Some people like to brown their ground beef in oil, but I much prefer the softer texture that results from boiling it in a bit of water. Be sure you start with a large stock pot!

Homemade Chili

• 5 pounds lean ground meat
• 6 cups of water
• 2 #3 (large) cans of diced tomatoes
• 4 8oz. cans of tomato sauce
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1/2 cup diced garlic (less if you don't like garlic that much)
• 2 8oz. cans of chopped or diced green chilies
• 2 16oz. cans of dark kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed, if desired
• 1 tbsp. sea salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. black pepper or to taste

In an 8 quart or larger stock pot, break the ground beef up into small pieces in the water. Bring to a boil and cook until the meat is completely brown. Add the rest of the ingredients. Allow to boil for another 30 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for at least two hours. Check often to make sure there is enough liquid in the chili to keep it from burning. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and crackers.

Enchilada Bake

Enchiladas are delicious, but require more time than I have available. A while back, I cut some corners and came up with Enchilada Bake. It tastes the same, but requires much less time to make than traditional enchiladas.

• homemade chili
• shredded cheddar cheese
• large package of corn tortillas (or make your own)

The amount of the above ingredients you need depends on the size container you are making the enchiladas in. I usually have a crowd and use a 10"X14" baking dish, but when it is just the two of us, I use a small 1 quart casserole dish.

First, pour a cup or so of the chili in the bottom of the pan. Then layer the ingredients in this order: whole tortillas, chili, then cheese. Continue layering until the pan is full or has as much in it as you need for a meal, making sure you finish with a layer of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Chili Mac

• 1 pound of macaroni, cooked and drained
• 2 cups of homemade chili (more if desired)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the cooked macaroni and homemade chili in a large bowl. Pour into a casserole or baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mexican Pizza

• Crust for one pizza
• 1 cup of homemade chili
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• chopped onion
• chopped peppers (bell peppers, jalapenos, etc.) to taste

Prepare the crust. Spread the chili evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the cheese over the top evenly until all cheese is used. Top with your choice of onion or peppers. Bake for 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven or until the cheese is melted and the crust is done.

Frito Pie

• 1 large bag of original Fritos
• 2 to 3 cups of homemade chili, depending on taste
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the Fritos and the chili in a large bowl, then pour into a baking dish. Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted

Edit: I just made this chili recipe using ground chuck, which is about 20% fat. I had to scoop off about two cups of fat from the top after it finished cooking. I used a coffee cup to do that, but if you set it into the refrigerator overnight, the fat will congeal on the top and you can just lift it off to discard. I much prefer using 97% fat free ground meat. It still tastes great with a lower priced ground meat, though.

More great chili recipes.