Chili is a staple in the winter. It's warm, it's comforting, and I can easily make a big pot of it and we can enjoy it for several days. There are so many different versions of chili as well and I find that I'm always adding something new. Some of my favorite chili recipes on the blog are Chili and Rice Casserole (which is one of my most popular recipes as well), Chipotle Beef Chili (which I won a recipe contest with), Double Pork Chili Colorado, and Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili.
When I started working on this chili I looked to see what kind of vegetables I had available. My parents had just been down and my mom likes to share her CSA with me so I had fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic that would be great in chili. In my own garden I had banana peppers and a few bell peppers as well. I gathers all those ingredients together as well as a package of ground beef and some chili beans and I was ready to go!
This Garden Fresh Chili tastes like it's fresh from the garden which is awesome. I usually use canned tomatoes because they are easy to use but there is definitely a big difference when using fresh tomatoes. I needed to add more seasonings and spices but I think that just added to the overall flavor.
This chili is hearty and flavorful and perfect for enjoying on a Sunday afternoon during football games or Sunday evenings for a big family dinner. It makes plenty so invite your friends over! Want to enjoy it quietly in your own home? You will have leftovers for several days to come.
We like to repurposed our chili whenever we have leftovers. Some of our favorite ways to use it for another meal are to grill hot dogs and use the chili as a hot dog topping. Another favorite is to use the chili on top of oven nachos in place of the ground beef. The last way we use it is to stir it into macaroni and cheese for chili mac. I love being able to cook once and eat twice (or in this case even three times!)
Garden Fresh Chili
Chili gets a make over with fresh vegetables from the garden and a delicious combination of seasonings.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb. ground beef
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 T. chili powder
- 1 T. Arizona Dreaming seasoning or other seasoning with ancho chili pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 2 banana peppers, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 cans chili beans
- 1 c. beef broth
- 1 T. chili powder
- 1 T. cumin
- 1 T. paprika
- 2 T. brown sugar
- 2 t. oregano
- 2 t. salt
- 1 t. black pepper
- 3 T. tomato paste
Instructions
- In a large pot heat the ground beef, oil , chili powder, and Arizona Dreaming seasoning over medium heat, stirring to break up the beef, for 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the onion, bell peppers, banana peppers, and garlic cloves and cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add in the fresh tomatoes, chili beans, and beef broth. Mix well and increase heat to medium high until the chili comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer and add in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, brown sugar, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Taste the chili and adjust the amount of salt, pepper, and chili powder as needed.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
A Hezzi-D Original recipe
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 348Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1690mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 6gSugar: 9gProtein: 28g
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Sue Lau
Great use for the Arizona Dreaming- I have a couple bottles of those that I need to use up!
Cheese Curd In Paradise
I love that dark rich color and all those delicious veggies from the garden!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
Love the use of fresh tomatoes...perfect for when the garden is going a little crazy!!!
Karen
You made such a beautiful chili from what you had available! It sounds so easy too.
Erin Vasicek
Fresh always tastes better so I love that you used ingredients from your garden to make your chili.
Wendy Klik
Our leftover chili gets turned into burritos more often than not. I also like making chili mac with it. You have so many great chili recipes.