Ultimate Chili

Made chili one day and realized I didn't have the right tomatoes nor the tomato paste that the recipe called for so substituted with peeled plum tomatoes and Rotel tomatoes. It turned out to be the best chili I ever made. If you like it extra hot, use Rotel Hot tomatoes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sugar
• 1  small bay leaf
• 1 (28 ounce) can  peeled plum tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 1/2ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onions and garlic, cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
3. Add the next 7 ingredients (the seasonings) and cook 4 minutes.
4. Add undrained plum tomatoes (crushing with the back of a wooden spoon), and the undrained Rotel tomatoes.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
6. Add kidney beans and cook an additional 10 minutes.