Chili, in a budget friendly way...

During the entire 2010 year I seem to have had an obsession with chili. I'm not sure why, but I lovin' it! 
This is the recipe I use the most often-it reminds me of Wendy's Fast Food Restaurant Chili...

 AMBER'S CHILI

1 lb. lean ground beef

(I often use ground turkey burger, and it works wonderfully!)

2 c. tomato juice

1- 15oz. can tomato puree

(I love tomatoes, so sometimes I add a 15 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes-

lightly drained)

1- 15 oz. can red beans, drained

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 c. celery, diced

1/4 c. green pepper, diced

3-4 Tbsp. chili powder 
(adjust amount to suit your family's taste)

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. sugar

A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

In a skillet brown the ground beef, until no longer pink then drain off the fat

(I actually rinse the cooked beef to remove as much fat as I can).

Place all the ingredients in a 4 quart crock pot, stir well and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  For faster cooking, you can place all the ingredients in a 4 qt. stock pot, cover, and let simmer for 1to 1 1/2 hours, stirring about every 20-30 minutes.

You can double this recipe because it freezes very well, and reheats easily on the stove.

 This is a quick and economical dish, and we love it!