That's one way to test a new recipe!

We had a Chili Cook-Off/Trunk-or-Treat activity at our church last night. (Where the kids go trick-or-treating by going from trunk-to-trunk of the cars instead of house-to-house.) I had a new chili recipe I wanted to try so I could finally experiment with using my beans from my food storage rather than canned beans Well, time got the best of me and I didn't have the time to do it. So I used the canned beans. In the end we were one of the winners of the contest! So that's why I say in my heading, "that's one way to test a new recipe!" :-) It's pretty simple. Here it is:

Basic Chili
www.gnowflins.com

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 pound grass-fed ground beef

4 cups cooked beans

1 can tomato paste

4 cups water + additional as desired for consistency

2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus additional to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste

1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cumin, or to taste

1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

garnishes: sour cream, diced onions, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, etc.

Brown together in a medium or large stockpot over medium to medium-high heat: ground beef, onions, and garlic.

Combine the tomato paste and water in a 4-cup measurer, and whisk until smooth. Add to the meat mixture. Add the beans and all spices. Bring to a simmer, then turn down heat and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes to develop flavor. Adjust seasonings.