Rustler's Chili Con Carne With Beans

Its Chili Time! When the weather FINALLY turns cool , it's time for a steaming "Bowl of Red"! Chili, to an aficionado, is more than a spicy stew; it is a craving, a passion, for a simmered combination of meat and chile peppers that warms the heart and inspires the soul. The exact origin of chili is still shrouded in mystery. Some people believe it wa s originated by chuckwagon cooks who regularly prepared stew for the cowpokes of the Southwest. Possibly, one of the these cooks ran out of black pepper and in his search for a substitute, he came across some red chile peppers which were common among the Indians and Mexicans in the territory that is now west Texas. These undomesticated capsicums were extremely hot. When the cowboys inquired about the source of the extreme heat, they were told that the heat came from the "chile", or hot pepper. Over time, this sizzling stew became popular in its own right, and became known as "chili".

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Yields: 1 pot

Ingredients

• 2  lbs lean ground beef
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 1  green pepper, chopped
• 1  stalk celery, chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes, cut up
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 6 -7  pickled jalapeno peppers, rinsed and chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1⁄4 cup chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  red pepper, ground
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans

Directions

1. Cook ground beef, onions, green pepper, celer y, and garlic in large pan till meat is browned.
2. Do not drain.
3. Stir in undrained tomatoes, and remaining ingredients except kidney beans.
4. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hrs., stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in beans and cook another 30 minutes.