My Favorite Chili Recipe

1 ½ - 2 lbs ground beef
½ chopped onion
1 green chili pepper
Large can crushed tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
Chili powder to taste
Red pepper to taste
Salt & pepper to taste
Chili seasoning - 1/2 of packet
3 small cans V-8 juice

As you are about to see, this is a very simple recipe to put together. That's one of the reasons I love this recipe so much :)

- Brown ground beef (season with salt & pepper)
- Add chopped onion, chili pepper and chili seasoning
- Combine remaining ingredients in large pan or crock pot
- Add ground beef mixture
- Add remaining seasonings
- Mix and simmer

I use a dutch oven to cook my chili in right on the stove top, but a crockpot would work great as well.

Serve with crackers and corn bread.

I use Williams chili seasoning in my favorite chili recipe, but some people prefer to make their own chili seasoning. Here's an easy seasoning mix you can make for chili or other recipes.

1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 tbsp. seasoned salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine ingredients and store in container with tight-fitting lid. Seasons 1 lb. ground beef. Great in chili, tacos or even spaghetti sauce.

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I was curious about where chili originated so I decided to do some research. What I found is that there are many stories about where chili originated, but no-one seems to know for sure who invented what we now call chili.

First, chili is a spicy stew made from chili peppers, meat, garlic, onions, and cumin. Chili con carne simply means chili made with meat. There are many varieties of chili, including the traditional ground beef recipe, but also chicken chili recipes and vegetarian chili recipes.

The earliest forms of chili were probably made by the poorest of people, however. It is thought that the poor stewed meat with the same amount of vegetables (peppers) to stretch the meat out to feed their family.

The only thing we know for sure is that chili did not originate in Mexico as many believe. In fact, Chili can't be found in Mexico except for in spots that cater to U.S. tourists.

But that doesn't mean chili first appeared in the U.S. either. An old Southwestern American Indian legend claims that the first recipe for chili con carne was written down in the 17th century by a Spanish nun, Sister Mary of Agreda. Other records indicate that the first chili mix was created in the 1800s by Texan cowboys.

Regardless of who first invented chili, this dish became a familiar item in the U.S. by the 1920s. Chili joints appeared in Texas and all over the West, but were usually no more than a shed or a room with a counter and some stools.



Other interesting facts about chili:

- The first chili cook-off was held in Terlingua, Texas in 1967
- The International Chili Society was formed by Francis Tolbert
- Cincinnati chili was created in 1922, and consists of a mound of spaghetti topped with chili, chopped onion, beans and cheddar cheese

To learn more about the origins of chile, check out the Wikipedia page, Chili con carne.

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