Homemade Fall Chili

This dish is so easy. I love chili, and I especially love it when temperatures drop. It is time to actually cook some warmer, heavier dishes. Hey, a salad can be heavy too. ;) So, when temperatures dropped last week I got all excited and decided it was time to use my frozen ground beef for a perfect and easy-made chili - plus, my chili is usually less fatty because, well, I still try to keep it all on the light side.

 Here's what you need:

• 1 pound 95% lean ground beef {or whatever ground beef you prefer, really}
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers {orange, red, yellow, or green, or all of them at once; I used green}
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic {I had to use two cloves}
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon {cracked} black pepper
• 2 15 ounce cans light kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup {Light} sour cream

Here's what you do:

- In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook and stir the ground beef, onion, pepper, & garlic until beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are crisp tender {about 8 to 9 minutes}.
- Add the chili powder, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water.
- Cook and stir until the chili comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium low.
- Occasionally stirring, continue cooking for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve individual bowls of chili with some sour cream {optional}.
- Garnish with shredded cheese, avocado slices, or whatever you desire {optional}if desired.

Enjoy.

***

Next time I will spice up my chili with some fun extras and see how it will turn out. Cannot wait. We both loved this one and I shouldn't change a thing. It is the perfect dish to embrace fall in full force. I simply cannot believe how fast time has flown by. It is almost Halloween, almost winter, and almost holiday season. 

Are you a chili lover?