Chili 101

1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped peppers, green, red, yellow, orange or combination (jalapenos work, too!)
1/4 cup chopped celery, optional
1/2 - 1 pound of hamburger, cook separately so it can be drained.

1-2 cans beans, kidney, black, red ~ any combination
1 can of beef or vegetable stock or 1 can of V-8 juice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce

salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce, optional, to taste
1/2 - 1 Teaspoon of cumin, or to taste (the spice that makes chili taste like chili)
1/2 - 1 Teaspoon of chili powder, or to taste (the spice that gives a little kick to chili)

In a large saucepan, saute onions, celery and peppers in olive oil until tender.  Add drained beef. Add the broth, tomatoes, vegetables and seasonings*. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Yields about 4 servings.

Optional Additions: Experiment with adding carrots, potatoes, corn, hominy, mixed vegetables, or try some collard greens or kale. This makes a cross between vegetable soup and chili which will add some variety and fun to learning to cook.

Topping Ideas: Cheese, Chopped green onions, Chives, Cilantro (an excellent detoxifying herb)

*Make your chili thicker to serve in a tortilla, over cornbread or corn waffles, or in a salad of fresh greens. You may decide to eliminate or lessen the broth for a thicker chili.