Kelly's Classic Chili

What better way to kick off fall and football season than with a nice big bowl of chili?!  This is excellent served with my jalapeño and cheese cornbread.  The leftover chili make excellent chili cheese dogs.

3 lbs ground beef

1 diced large yellow onion
1 diced large green pepper
1 - 2 diced jalapeño

2 - 3 sliced celery stalks

8 minced cloves of garlic

1/4 cup Worcestershire

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp garlic powder

4 tbsp or so of chili powder or use a McCormick's Chili Seasoning pack

2 cans Ro-tel tomatoes or homemade stewed tomatoes (recipe follows)

2 - 3 cans chili beans

1 can tomato soup

1 cup V-8

4 - 8 Tabasco drips or a shake or two of ground cayenne pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 bay leaf

Prepare a chili station with a variety of the following:

grated cheddar cheese

diced yellow onion

sliced green onions

Frito's 

saltine crackers

sour cream

chopped fresh basil 

chopped fresh cilantro

sliced jalapenos

Tabasco sauce

Worcestershire Sauce

Brown the beef in a very large skillet or pot.  Halfway through cooking add onion, green pepper, jalapeño, celery, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  Season the beef with the powdered garlic, about a tsp of chili powder and 2 tbsp Worcestershire.  When the meat is browned drain as much fat as possible.  Transfer the meat mixture into a large pot.  Add the remaining ingredients, mix well.  On medium high heat bring to a boil. stirring frequently.  Once boiling lower heat to low and let simmer for at least 1 hour.  

Serves 10 - 12 people

Stewed Tomatoes:

3 large ripe tomatoes 

1 medium onion finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh bail

2 minced garlic cloves

To prepare the tomatoes, cut into wedges or 1/2 inch slices.  Peel tomatoes before cutting if desired.  remove skin easily, dip tomato into boiling water 30 seconds, then into cold water.  Scrape the skin off with blade of knife to help loosen.  Cut the  tomato into dice-sized pieces.  Mix all the ingredients except for a little of the fresh herbs to garnish. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer about 10 minutes or until tomatoes are soft.  Garnish with herbs.

Serves 4