Our Favorite Chili (It's SO quick!)

I like the flavor of this chili!

Years ago, a recipe card for this chili was handed out when Qualheim's True Value in Shawano hosted a kind of promotional event put on by the Regal cookware company.  During the 'event', someone from the Regal company was in front of the store and serving free cupfuls of this chili recipe from a HUGE frying pan that was sitting over some kind of heat source-- honestly, the huge pan was something like 5-6' feet across.  (M-m-m-m-m-m, the chili-- tasted so good!!!) 

This is about the 'QUICKEST' chili ever!  To save 'preparation time' when cooking, I like to 'brown hamburger' ahead of time-- about 5# at a time,  bag it and freeze in 1# amounts.  Using the pre-browned and thawed hamburger, this recipe can be completed start-to-finish in the length of time it takes to cook the onion/green pepper mixture.  (20 minutes?)  Even if starting with raw ground beef, it's still quick!


I like to double this recipe so I'll have some left for the next day.

6 servings (maybe less if you have 'chili likers')

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 chopped green OR red OR yellow  OR orange pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 pound lean ground beef

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• 1 package (1 and 5/8 oz. size) chili seasoning mix (recipe called for French's)
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, with liquid
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained (my addition, optional)
• 1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes with liquid, OR stewed tomatoes, OR whole tomatoes
• 1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushroom pieces, drained (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté onions and peppers of your choice in butter in a 10-inch fry pan over medium heat until onions are transparent.  While 'getting the onions ready', and if you are not using 'browned-ahead ground beef',  brown the raw ground beef in separate fry pan, and drain. 
 
(To speed everything along, you could start heating everything in the last group above over low heat while the onion/pepper and the hamburger is being readied.)

Combine EVERYthing.*  Mix well, breaking up tomatoes (if whole).  Bring to a very light boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 5-10 minutes (to make sure the beans are totally heated ).
 
*Once I get everything combined, and if  I'm in no hurry to serve, I'll put it into the oven at 340-degrees for about 30 minutes.  This is also a good crock pot meal.  Also, see note at far bottom of this posting.

This can be served with a variety of toppings:  Grated cheese, chopped green onions, snipped chives, or ???

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SOUR CREAM......

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 P.S.  I've seen cooks take a recipe like this, add a large can of tomato juice, a small handful of spaghetti strips that have been snapped into 1-inch pieces, and a can of corn for a different kind of dish-- adjusting the cooking time and amount of chili powder, as desired.