Dad’s Homemade Chili

As a mom, meal selection is and preparation is often driven by my somewhat selfish desire to make my own life easier. I tend to make at least one meal per week that easily morphs into great leftovers, allowing me to cook fewer times per week because our weeknights are busy with kids' activities. It also makes my mama heart happy when everyone in our family will happily eat a meal, at least once. So while my husband and I like chili with some heat, I recently made a toned-down version that the whole family can enjoy without whining (you know who I'm talking about).

I started with this chili recipe and modified it with the dual goal of making a larger quantity and toning down spices for the kids. A serve-yourself pot of goodness with all the toppings is great for serving to a crowd over to watch the Chiefs, and the leftovers freeze really well for another night. Making the chili flavorful yet less 'spicy' ensures my kids will eat it a few times too, so this recipe is an all-around win!

The entire family got in on the chili-making action the other day when I submitted this video as my entry into Price Chopper's Next Fresh Dish Foodie contest. (I may have had to edit out the part where my son sings a song about beans.) But now I need your help to move forward in the section process!

Vote for my video HERE as your favorite finalist from now until November 17, 2019! I really appreciate your support!

Want to make this delicious chili yourself? Here's the recipe!

Family-Friendly Chili for a Crowd

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped

3.5-4 lbs ground beef

3 cups beef broth

2 cans black beans

2 cans pinto beans

2 cans kidney beans

28 oz. crushed tomatoes

28 oz. diced tomatoes

8 oz chopped (mild) green chiles

4 tbl. plus 1 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp fine pink sea salt

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp coriander

3 tsp. cumin

Directions:

Sauté onion in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the biggest pot you own. Add ground beef (choose whatever fat content you want, I went with 80/20 because it was on sale at my local Price Chopper). When meat is cooked, drain the fat off and even rinse it with some hot water to further reduce excess fat.

Then, add all the other ingredients and spices, stir together and simmer for several hours in your big pot on the stove (this is perfect on a Sunday afternoon). If you're in a time crunch, you can sauté the onions and meat in your Instant Pot, lock your lid on the pot and set to 'chili' to cook.

Now it's game time! Prepare a chili buffet with desired toppings. I love mine topped with cheese and plantain chips. My husband's family always puts Fritos on top. My kids love any carbohydrate, so they eat it up topped with cheese and sour cream, with cornbread on the side. I hope that this is a dish that your whole family loves and that it makes life a little easier on you!