Ann's chili

Ann graciously shared her chili recipe with me.

"Um, well, mine's pretty simple," said Ann. "I've developed this recipe over the years to suit my taste, and I got some of the ingredients from my sister. I've gotten pretty consistent with it."

ANN'S CHILI

Substitute 2 extra large cans of cooked pinto beans if you're in a hurry. Rotel brand diced tomatoes and green chilies add a little kick to the chili. You find them at Wal-Mart on the tomato sauce aisle, according to Ann.

The quantity of chili powder depends its quality and strength. "A good brand will be stronger than the cheap ones," said Ann. "I would say 6 tablespoons is the bare minimum for this big a pot." Use more if you want spicy chili.

1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and cooked for two hours with a couple of slices of bacon or salt pork
2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans black beans
2 cans dark red kidney beans
1 large can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2-1 teaspoons ground cumin
6(+) tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)

Dump it all together in a big stew pot. You can put it in a crockpot overnight, but you'd have to cut the recipe a little. Simmer it on a LOW setting for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Makes 10-12 bowls (I like leftovers!).