Chili

My family loves this dish on cool Autumn nights. It is especially well-received when served with cornmeal (maize flour) cakes.

Prepare this hearty soup quickly on the range top or slowly in a crockery cooker and have it ready and waiting at the end of a busy day.

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 can dark red kidney beans (15-oz.), rinsed and drained
2 cans tomato sauce or sieved tomato passata (16 oz.)
2 to 3 teaspoons mild chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic till meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili posder, basil, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic as above. Drain fat. In crockpot, combine meat mixture, undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil and pepper. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.