Chili Stew

This recipe started with just ingredients I had on hand with a lot of experimenting. When in season, I use fresh vegetables and this years garden will have plenty of tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers to can and put away in the cupboard for the cold winters when chili hits the spot. And son, this is the chili that Adam loves so much. I serve this chili with a choice of saltine crackers or fritos and I top it off with grated cheddar cheese, chopped onions and sour cream. This chili is much better the next day as the flavors have settled in.

Ingredients

2 pounds Ground Hamburger
1/2 pound Ground Sausage
1 large Minced Onion
2 cloves Minced Garlic
1/4 Chopped Bell Pepper
1 whole Chopped Ancho Pepper
1 stalk Chopped Fine Celery

2 large cans Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups V-8 Juice
3 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans (drained)
1 pkg. Williams Chili Seasoning

Saltine Crackers or Fritos
Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 medium Chopped Onion
Sour Cream

Brown hamburger and sausage in a large skillet, adding the minced onion. Once browned, add the garlic, celery and peppers to saute vegetables. Stir occasionally so all vegetables have a chance to hit the bottom of the skillet. Pour off grease. Transfer meat mixture into a large pot and add the crushed tomatoes, V-8 juice, kidney beans and chili seasoning. Simmer for 2-3 hours. Put crackers or fritos in bottom of a bowl, add chili. Garnish with cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

I am a huge fan of pressure cookers and when I'm in a hurry, I fix this up right in my pressure cooker. The pressure cooking seems to help the flavors incorporate much quicker and the meat is very tender this way.