Thursday, December 29, 2011

Ranch Style Chili

Chances are that it’s cold where you are and that you will be tired and (dare I say) hungover after New Year’s Eve.  Make a pot of Ranch Style Chili a day in advance so you can relax, watch football and still have something good to eat with minimal effort.

My family grew up calling this Ranch Style Beans.  I’m sure there is a trademark infringement in there with that title and I’m baffled that my dad did not order us to cease and desist.  So let’s call it Ranch Style Chili with a nod to a great Fort Worth, TX company.
Ranch Style Chili

Ingredients
  1. 1 lb ground meat
  2. 1 chopped onion (or 2 T onion powder)
  3. 1 t minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
  4. 1 chopped green pepper
  5. salt and pepper and paprika, to taste
  6. 1 ½ T chili powder
  7. 1 can stewed tomatoes (15 oz) – I use the petite diced tomatoes because it’s smaller chunks for the kids to eat so less complaining.  Another reader uses Rotel tomatoes - you get the tomatoes and jalapeno too.
  8. 2 cans Ranch Style beans (30 oz total) – there are various flavors to choose from.  I like original but if you want more of a kick, try the jalapeno version.
Optional for garnish
  1. Fritos or other corn chip
  2. Grated cheese, like Mexican four cheese blend (cheddar, Monterey jack, asadero and queso quesadilla)
  3. Chopped onions
Brown items #1-3 in a skillet.  Drain the grease from the cooked meat.

Add the cooked meat to a large pot containing items #4-8.  Simmer for 1 hour (this will soften the green pepper and onion (if you choose to use the real thing and not the powder)).

To serve, my kids like a layer of Fritos, then spoon on the chili, then sprinkle grated cheese on top.  Chopped onions might be good addition too.

Happy New Year!!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Speaking of "kick," Rotel also works instead of stewed 'maters (that's "tuhmaters" without the "tuh," you know).