Labor Day Chili

Happy Labor Day!  Yay!  No work today!  Hope everyone got to sleep in this morning.  I love designated lazy days, when you don't have anything specific planned and the whole day is ahead.

Oh yeah. I have to cook dinner.  (sigh)

In the spirit of the holiday, I think I will cook up a pot of my Taste of Honey Chili and later slap some burgers on the grill.  My chili recipe is my own concoction with a couple of surprise ingredients.  The brewed coffee makes for a heartier base than just water, and the honey and cinnamon add just a hint of sweetness.

Taste of Honey Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or 1 or 2 teaspoons minced garlic from jar)
• 1 can (40-oz.) kidney, pinto or black beans, drained
• 1 jar Picante Sauce (your choice:  Mild, Medium or Hot)
• 1 can (4-oz.) diced green chiles
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup brewed coffee (left over from breakfast)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Cook beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic in large skillet until beef is browned and onions are translucent; drain.  Transfer to large pot.
2. To pot, stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes.  After chili has cooled, pop it into the refrigerator for a few hours (even overnight) to let the flavors meld.

Suggested garnishes, if desired:

    Shredded cheese

    Diced tomatoes

    Sliced olives

    Chopped green onions

    Sour cream

 

It doesn't get much easier than this, and it's even better the second day.

So, what's cookin' at your house?