Its that time of year again! The leaves are turning colors, falling through the cold crisp air. Fall is one of the best seasons . I love the fall, bringing the kids to the pumpkin patches, watching my son play baseball and football. The list just can keep going on and on.

I’m on my second year of it, a chili cookoff on a game day with all my friends. It is so much fun to do. I get prizes and all the kids are playing and everyone is having so much fun eating chili and hanging out.

Ingredients:

2 TB of vegetable or olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 minced gloves of garlic

1 pound ground beef

3/4 pound cubed beef ( beef stew meat, or any kind of beef)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can dark pop ( I like Dr. Pepper)

1 small can tomato paste

2 (14.5 )ounce cans beef broth

2 TB brown sugar

3TB chili powder

1/2 TB ground cumin

1 TB unsweetened chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

2 cans of kidney beans ( or omit them, I do that sometimes)

1. Add oil to a Dutch oven or large pan. Start to cook the onion until translucent, and then add the garlic until you can smell it, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the ground beef in and cook until no longer pink and then add the cubed beef and cook that until brown on the outside.
3. Then you can start to add all other ingredients and let it simmer on low for 2-3 hours. COVERED the first hour. Then uncover and Cook 1-2 more hours stirring occasionally. Depending on how thick you would like it, is how long you keep it simmering. At the end I usually shred most the beef cubes up and add it back in and then the chili is ready eat.

*** If you use Dr. pepper it will be sweeter with a little heat. If for some reason you don’t like sweet you can use root beer, half the can of Dr. Pepper, No pop just add another can of beef broth or even coffee. I like it with Dr. Pepper the best and so do my kids but I will leave that choice up to you. Sometimes I use what I have on hand too.

Tools to help cooking made easier

Dutch Oven – I love mine, use it for all kinds of my recipes. Dutch ovens are heavy especially when they are cast iron. They cook so nicely though. I love the colors options. I have a red one. Cleans so easily and the heat distribution is great!

Measuring spoons- Love, Love, Love these. Great for measuring,and they are magnetic. Also dual sided for liquid and dry seasonings.

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