Are You Ready for Some Football?

Today millions of Americans will be tuned in to Super Bowl XLVI, better known as the 2007 Super Bowl rematch of the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.  I will definitely be rooting for the Giants today.  (Heck, if I can't have Peyton, I might as well support the other Manning!)  Besides, I would rather see just about anyone take the Lombardi trophy home over Cry Baby Brady and his shady, cheat-face coach, Belichick.

But I digress... Something else millions of Americans will be doing today is eating chili.  Here is my own personal recipe which can only be described as "Pot Luck Chili" because it uses part of my mom's recipe and part of my mother-in-law's recipe.  It is a very mild recipe, and it is very versatile.  Not only can you add chili powder, red pepper flakes or hot sauce to spice things up, but you could also add cocoa powder, Coca-cola or ketchup to make a sweet version.  If you have leftovers (and unless you're feeding 6 adults, you will have leftovers), you could also use the remaining portion in chili mac, chili dogs or chili cheese fries, etc.
So without further ado, here is the recipe:

POT LUCK CHILI

*1 can mild chili beans
*1 can red (kidney) beans
*1 can diced tomatoes (in sauce)
*1 can crushed tomatoes
*1 ½ lb. (diet lean) ground beef
*1 can Armour Star chili (without beans)
*½ packet of McCormick (original) chili seasoning
*Minced onion flakes
*Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, cook ground beef with salt, pepper and onion over medium-high heat (Note: go easy on the salt since there is a lot of sodium in the beans).
In a large pot, combine remaining ingredients, and add a bit more onion.
When the meat is cooked through, add to the pot and allow mixture to come to a boil.
When the pot begins to bubble, turn down to medium-low heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes.

You should wind up with something that looks like this:

Originally I used fresh white onions in this recipe, but lately the onions I have bought have been so strong that I smelled like onions for days no matter how many times I washed my hands and brushed my teeth.  Minced onion flakes are the perfect solution to this problem.  Like I mentioned before, this recipe makes about 6 adult-sized portions, but don’t worry if you have quite a bit left in the pot after dinner.  This recipe freezes well, and it can also be made in the crock pot if you are planning to take it to a party.

Photos courtesy of http://www.ronnagaderadio.com and http://www.thesmokingjacket.com/entertainment/patriots-hater-guide