Quick Homemade Chili

Last week I decided that it had finally cooled off enough to make some chili for dinner. Now I know that “cool” is a relative term. I won’t tell you the temperature we had that day because you might be jealous!! So, I got out my skillet and sautéd some onions in a little butter. I added some ground turkey and browned it. Simple, right? Just a quick stove top chili. I added diced tomatoes and some beans. Then I discovered that I was out of chili powder. Ugh!

What do you do when you unexpectedly run out of a key ingredient? Run to the store? Ask your neighbor? Or frantically search for a substitution? Well, I decided to create a substitution. So, I came up with something that I thought might work and added two tablespoons to my chili along with some salt and pepper. It was perfect!! It was way better that the store bought stuff that I usually use, so I think I will stick with it from now on. It was simple, fast, and I normally have all of the ingredients on hand.

Quick Homemade Chili

2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground meat (beef or turkey)
2-16oz. cans diced tomatoes
2-16oz. cans or four cups beans (red or pinto)
2 tbsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in butter; add ground meat and brown well. Pour in tomatoes and beans. Heat thoroughly. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, grated cheese, and corn bread.

Frugal Tip: Try using this quick homemade seasoning in your favorite Chili recipe, you probably already have the ingredients on hand.

Homemade Chili Seasoning

2 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. oregano
1 ¼ tsp. cumin
1 ¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 ¼ tsp. ground red pepper
¾ tsp. onion powder

Add all ingredients to a jar. Cover tightly and shake to combine. Use in place of Chili Powder.