This is one of my favorite meals my mom made. Very simple, but good. I’ve shortened down the time spent by using my bottled beans, but you can still soak them overnight and throw them in your crockpot the next morning, or you can simply by some cans. The flavor is much better when you use your own bottled or soaked ones.
Here’s the recipe:
Bottled tomatoes, bottled beans, hamburger and onion (sorry forgot to add those to the pic), and chili powder, salt & pepper.
First, brown your hamburger with onion. I didn’t have an onion on hand, so I threw in about a 1/4 c of some dried onion. Add salt and pepper to your hamburger.
Dump your tomatoes in your crock pot.
If you like chunky tomato chili, just leave it. If you want, you can mash your tomatoes with a potato masher, or if you like it smooth and not chunky for those picky eaters, do what I did and stick your immersion blender in and blend them up. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend them in your regular blender then dump them in. I recommend getting an immersion blender. I love mine!!
Rinse off your beans. (Sorry about the lighting, the sun was coming through the window by the sink and I don’t have blinds there yet.)
Add your beans to your pot.
Add a couple of tablespoons of chili powder.
Stir it up and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-5. You can start on high, then lower it. If you make it early in the morning, then set it for low and just let it cook until you get home. If you don’t get started until after lunch and want it for dinner, put it on high. That’s my rule of thumb. You can always turn it down on low. This is really my favorite chili. Not too many flavors competing. I love to smash up saltine crackers and put it in. I know, I know, it’s a weird thing I did as a kid, but I still love it!
Easy Homemade Chili
2 qts bottled tomatoes
1 qt bottled pinto beans
1 lb hamburger browned
1/2- 1 onion, diced OR a 1/4 of dried onion
2 T chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Brown hamburger with onion. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes to crock pot. Blend if desired. Rinse beans. Add to crock pot. Add browned hamburger to crock pot. Add seasonings and adjust them to taste. Cook on high 2-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours.
If you need to feed more people, add another bottle of beans, increase your hamburger and tomatoes. Quite simple and delicious.