Yesterday, I made my first pot of this chili this fall season. It turned out so delicious. I thought that I already had this recipe on here, so I didn’t take pictures of the process like I normally do, then today I realized that I had never added it to the blog.

Years ago I got this recipe from one of my longtime and dearest friends Summer B. She made this all the time and always raved about how delicious it was. She told me it was so easy that I really needed to try it. She was right, it is very easy to put together and doesn’t take very long for the prep or the cook time. The results are always consistent and the taste is delicious.

I have to give a little shout out to my dear friend and congratulate her on her recent wedding. She is one of the blessed ones that stumbled upon love when she least expected it and it changed her life for the better. Congratulations Summer and Robert, I love you guys and I am so happy for you both!

I have found that depending on what region your from in the US, your toppings for chili will be different. Here in the south, most people I have met top theirs with sour cream and shredded cheddar or jack cheese. I like mine that way and I also like it plain with crackers,  but you can also take it a step further on the flavor ladder and use some sliced green onions and jalapenos.

**This recipe is Gluten free – just be sure to check the chili beans you use.

Summer’s Three Bean Chili

• 2 pounds ground beef (a 90/10 blend is good, it has just enough fat for flavor but no need to drain it once it’s cooked)
• 2 cans red beans, drained
• 2 cans light or dark red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans chili beans, do not drain (I use one large can of Bush’s mild chili beans because they are gluten free)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, don’t drain (I use petite diced)
• 1 whole medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• salt and freshly ground pepper, chili powder
• 1-2 cups chicken broth (as always, I use Better than Bouillon)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat up a large stock/soup pot over medium heat and add in olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. Then add in your minced garlic and stir it around for about a minute. Next, add in your chopped onion and green pepper and top with a little more salt, pepper and chili powder. Just season it up according to your taste. Let the veggies cook down for about 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally so they all get a turn in the heat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown up the 2 pounds of ground beef. I generously season the beef with salt, pepper and chili powder as I brown it. Drain it if you need to, once cooked. Set skillet aside.

To the stock pot, add the chili beans, red beans and kidney beans and diced tomatoes, then give it a good stir to mix in all the veggies. Then add in your ground beef and stir again, to ensure everything is well blended.

Depending on how thick you like your chili will depend on how much chicken broth you will use. I ended up using about a cup and a half this time. You can start with one cup and then stir it again to see what you think, then add more if necessary. This is where you want to take a taste and see if you need to add more chili powder or salt and pepper. I usually season the veggies and meat enough that I do not need to add in any extra once it is all mixed together.

Once everything comes back up to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about an hour. Remember to stir it occasionally so that the ingredients in the bottom don’t get burned.

Enjoy it with crackers, or top with whatever tickles your fancy!