Tear-jerker Chili

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans (or 3 cups canned beans, rinsed and drained)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 3/4 cups onions (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
• 1 green pepper (chopped)
• 2 jalapeno peppers (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 -5 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 (20 ounce) can chopped tomatoes

Recipe

• 1 soak dried beans overnight in enough water to cover.
• 2 drain beans and put in a large pot, reserving liquid.
• 3 to the beans add, onion, bay leaf, salt and 4 cups water.
• 4 cook over med-high heat for 45.
• 5 beans should be tender but not mushy.
• 6 drain beans and reserve liquid.
• 7 in a large skillet over med-high heat, brown ground beef in 1 tsp oil.
• 8 add 2 tsp oil to large pot and heat.
• 9 saute the onions, garlic, and peppers for ten minutes.
• 10 add spices, saute five minutes longer.
• 11 add meat, tomatoes, beans and cook for 45 minutes.
• 12 if chili is too dry, add (one cup at a time) the liquid reserved from beans and bring to a boil.