Classic and Easy Homemade Chili Recipe

This classic beef and beans chili recipe combines kitchen staples for those week nights when quick, easy, and satisfying are a must for your busy family. Flavorful side dishes such as a chopped salad and spiced corn bread complete this wonderful meal! Makes 4 generous servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons Little Bottles The Original spice blend

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup beer, your choice (we used an IPA)

1 cup chicken or beef stock (we used chicken stock)

2 shakes Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced (we used the grocery store variety)

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan, cook onion and celery over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and continue cooking over medium heat until meat is browned.

Add tomato paste and The Original spice blend. Gently stir until tomato paste and The Original spice blend are incorporated into the ground beef and sautéed vegetables.

Next, add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, stock, Worcestershire sauce, roasted red peppers, and kidney beans. Bring to just a boil then reduce heat. Simmer chili for about 30 minutes.

When satisfied with the consistency of the chili, serve. Top chili with other favorites such as chopped jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, or Greek yogurt with a splash of lime juice.

Enjoy!

Notes:

Simmer time for the chili depends on the consistency you want in the final product. You can also add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ground corn meal to thicken the sauce prior to serving.

Kicked-up Potato Salad

Potato salad seems to be in every family’s list of the things Mom made better than everyone. If you have a great recipe, it will be easy to modify it by adding The Original spice blend to your mayonnaise. If you want to try something new and pretty simple, this is a recipe that works well as a side on those nights when grilling hamburgers is what your crowd wants. Make it in the morning and as it sits in the refrigerator, the flavors will bloom together.

Ingredients:

4 very large potatoes

½ cup thinly sliced celery

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup thinly sliced dill pickle spears

1 cup of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon dill pickle juice

1 ½ teaspoons of The Original spice blend

Salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Optional:

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions:

Cut potatoes into quarters and boil till just cooked - potatoes need to stay firm. It’s ok to leave the skin on if you prefer.  Remove from the stove, drain water and allow to slowly cool at room temperature. (This keeps them firm for slicing.) Dice cooled potatoes and place them into a large bowl.

Add celery, onion, and pickles to potatoes.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), pickle juice, The Original and salt and pepper if desired.  Add to the potato mixture and stir gently until everything is covered.

Cover and refrigerate. Can make up to a day ahead. To serve, arrange sliced eggs on top and sprinkle with parsley if desired.