Halloween is this week and we got in the spirit by carving pumpkins over the weekend! Parks wanted no part of scooping out the insides (ha) but he was super into helping daddy decide on the facial expressions that each pumpkin should have! We went with one silly face and one spooky face, by request! Do you have traditions each year that your family does for Halloween? Carving pumpkins is definitely one of those things for us along with making a big pot of chili on the actual day of Halloween! My easy homemade beef chili is the perfect soup to make this week to warm you up after you and your kiddos have been trick or treating!

And if Halloween isn’t your thing, then you are in luck because you can make chili all season long (obviously)! I recently realized that I haven’t been posting some of my most basic and classic recipes, not on purpose, but because I felt like maybe you already had ten chili recipes or chicken recipes or whatever. Turns out you guys actually are wanting some of these basic recipes so I am happy to share them with you too!

Chili is one of those must make fall recipes if you ask me! Whether you are watching the big game, want to make a batch to eat on for the whole week, or all of the above…it’s just one of those things I crave when the weather turns and there is a chill in the air!

Chili is cozy, warm with spices, and should be eaten with all the toppings! It’s a go-to in our house all season long and hopefully now it will be in yours too!

Feel free to substitute turkey for beef and adjust the heat factor depending on your taste! This is definitely a recipe that you can tweak to make it your own! I can’t wait for you guys to give my version a try in your own kitchens!

Ingredients:

• 2 Lb. Ground Beef (I use lean or extra lean)

• 1 Finely Diced Onion

• 2 Finely Minced Garlic Cloves

• 1 Finely Diced Jalepeno (Poblano Peppers are milder and work great here too)

• 4 Tbsp. Chili Powder

• 2 Tbsp. Cumin

• 1 Tbsp. Paprika

• Kosher Salt

• Black Pepper

• 1, 28 oz. Can of Finely Diced Chopped Tomatoes

• 1, 15 oz Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes

• 1, 15 oz Can of Tomatoes with Green Chiles

• 1, 15. oz Can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

• 1, 15 oz Can of Pinto Beans (drained and rinsed)

• 2, 15 oz. Cans of Dark Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)

• 6 Oz. Tomato Paste

• 6 Cups of Water (Can add more depending on how you like your chili consistency)

For topping:

• Corn Chips

• Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

• Green Onions

• Cilantro

• Avocado

• Sour Cream

Directions:

• Heat a large dutch oven to medium high heat.

• Add oil and beef to the pan, season with salt and pepper and then sauté breaking up the meat and browning.

• After the beef has browned, add in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and season with a little bit more salt and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.

• Add in chili powder, cumin, and paprika.

• Cook the spices for another couple of minutes and then add in all of the cans of tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Add in drained and rinsed beans at this time and then add water, adjusting if needed for desired consistency.

• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and let cook for at least 30 minutes but the longer the better!

• Taste after 30 minutes and add in more salt and pepper if needed. (Beans soak up a lot of the flavor so don’t be shy here!)

• Top with desired topping and serve.

Note: I don’t have exact measurements for salt and pepper here because this is a season as you go kind of soup! Taste at the end and adjust if needed. You will probably use 1-2 Tbsp. of salt and 1 tsp of pepper when it is all said and done!

The best part about chili to me is that it just gets better the longer it sits and the leftovers are even more delicious a few days later! Remember to pin this recipe to make over and over again! Happy week of Halloween friends!