Not so secret family recipe

I read through the Holidailies Portal yesterday and now I feel utterly inadequate.  There are some amazingly talented writers there, and here I am posting grocery lists and pictures of my kids.  But it takes more than being completely outclassed to make me quit, so you're still stuck with me.

Today's post, one of stunning literary ability is... my husband's chili recipe. :)  But hey!  I took pictures too.  So I can compare badly to PW too!  Vegetarians should probably get their hate mail pens ready.

The cast:

2lbs ground chuck

3lbs ground pork

1lg onion (already diced, in the tupperware)

3cans kidney beans

28oz diced tomatos

28oz crushed tomatos

14oz tomato sauce

4-5 bell peppers, assorted colors

not pictured - 1 whole tomato

(note - makes enough to feed small country)

Step 1

Convince husband that HE wants to do all the chopping. 

(actually, he volunteered.  Kind of.)

Isn't that pretty?

Meanwhile...

Brown the meat with the onion. 

This will take at least 2 batches depending on the size of your pan.  I have a really big pan.

Drain off the fat.

Spice Team!

Okay, sugar technically isn't a spice.  Work with me here.

And yes, I already put the chili powder in when I remembered I needed to take the picture.

1/2 c chili powder

1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder

1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper

1-2 TBSP sugar

1 TBSP salt

(the paprika goes in later.  I'm allergic.)

Dump everything into a large pot.  Reserve a couple handfuls of the veggies for later.

Stir. 

Good luck.  It's thick.  And very hard to stir.  And I need a sturdier spoon.

Transfer into very full 6qt crock pot.

Cook for about 6 hours on low.

Taste mid afternoon.  Add more chili powder or other spices if necessary.

(almost always is.  I don't remember the last time I didn't add a little more chili powder)

Add in reserved veggies.  Cook 1 more hour on high.

And it will look like this.  Ignore the mess in the background.  And the fact that I suck taking pictures.

Top with cheese.  (or whatever.  S eats his with cheese, sour cream and cornbread)

Eat.

Die happy.

S came up with this recipe after much trial and error (rosemary? in chili?) years ago.  Every single person who has ever tried it has absolutely loved it.  This version is not spicy at all.  That's my fault.  I'm allergic to paprika, and a complete wuss when it comes to any other spice.  It has a full lovely chili flavor though.  What happens at our house is about an hour before we eat, we take a medium sized pot's worth out of the crock pot where S adds paprika, Louisiana Hot Sauce, and a whole jalapeno.  It spices it up nicely for him.  I have no idea how much of what you'd have to add to make the whole batch hot.  I'm sure you could cut the recipe to make a smaller batch, but it freezes well.  I end up freezing it in individual servings, then I just pop them in the microwave straight from the freezer.  That's if we manage to make it without my mother inviting herself over for dinner and leftovers.  Anytime she hears we're making chili she comes over for dinner.  So we try not to tell her we're making it :)