Amber's Chili {budget friendly}

During the entire 2010 year I seemed to have had an obsession with chili. I'm not sure why, but I was 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

2 c. tomato juice

1- 15oz. can tomato puree

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

1- (15 oz.) can red beans, drained & rinsed

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, (ground turkey works really well too) 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 1-1 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!

(re-posted from Oct. 2010)