My mom was the main cook in our house when I was young (and she spontaneously stopped cooking when I was in high school one year, never to be seen again) and she specialized in a handful or two of dishes she’d always rotate between. My dad traveled for several months each year, so mom was the go-to for most of our weeknight dinners and snacks. She cooks some absolutely delicious dishes, a few of which I’ve written about and/or recreated in the past (see her lasagna, chicken tofu, and shepherd’s pie in these posts) so as not to forget the meals of hers I loved. One of her most often cooked dinners growing up was chili: a simple and tasty crowd favorite that served our whole family with lots of leftovers—my favorite! My partner now makes my mom’s chili recipe whenever he wants to, so here’s a recreation of one of her most special dishes.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 1 Portuguese sausage
- 1/2 can beef broth
- 2 cans stewed tomatoes
- 2 cans pinto beans
- 2 packets chili mix
- Chili powder, cumin to taste
- Hot dogs (optional)
Instructions:
- Cut onion in cubes or slices
- Slice Portuguese sausage into shapes of choice (we prefer thin half moon shapes)
- If adding hot dogs, cut them into thirds lengthwise
- Heat pan on medium-high and add oil of choice
- Sauté onions until translucent
- Add hamburger and fully cook
- Drain oil from pan when hamburger is pau cooking
- Pour stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and chili seasoning packets into hamburger and onion mix and fully incorporate
- If chili needs more liquid, add additional stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth; if chili is too runny, add tomato paste until thickened
- Dump beans, portuguese sausage, and hot dogs into pan
- Season chili with additional seasonings to taste (I always add more chili powder and cumin)
- Serve over rice (and corn if you’re an avid corn eater like me!), baked potatoes, taco salad, nachos, tortillas, etc.!
