30 Minute Chili With Ground Beef and Beans

This ground beef chili is hearty and delicious, and it takes only 30 minutes from start to finish! Don't feel overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, many are suggested toppings.

The ground beef is quickly browned, then it is combined with a spice mixture, beans, and tomatoes for a quick and easy meal for a busy day. It's also easy on the budget.

Make a pan of cornbread to go with the chili, along with a salad or slaw, or serve it with hot cooked rice and warm tortillas.

If you're making this for a party game day gathering, offer several toppings with the chili and add a bowl of tortilla chips to the menu. The recipe is easily doubled.

What You'll Need
Seasoning Mix
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1 teaspoon  sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chili
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, at least 85% lean
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chile peppers*
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) black beans, undrained
salt, to taste
shredded cheddar, cheddar-jack, or a Mexican blend of cheeses
Topping Suggestions
sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped red onion, shredded lettuce, cilantro, guacamole, diced tomatoes

How to Make It
In a small bowl or cup, combine the chili powder with the dried minced onion, cumin, oregano, sugar, garlic powder, and the black and cayenne peppers. Blend well and set aside.
In a Dutch oven or large  sauté pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, turning and breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.
Drain the ground beef well. Return the beef to the pan over medium heat. Add the chili seasoning mix and stir to blend. 
Add the 2 cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and undrained black beans.  Stir to blend ingredients.
Bring the chili to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Taste and add salt, as needed.
Makes 6 generous servings, and the recipe can be doubled or tripled very easily.

Serve with a Tex-Mex cornbread or classic Southern cornbread, biscuits, crackers, or tortilla chips, along with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.

*If you don't have diced tomatoes with chile peppers, use regular diced tomatoes and add mild green chile peppers. Or, use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chunky mild to medium salsa in place of the second can of tomatoes.

How to Make Roasted Pumpkin

I had some leftover roast pumpkin in the fridge, and since it’s grilled cheese season, the only right thing to do was sandwich it between layers grilled crisp buttered bread with sage, mozzarella, and a fried egg. This sandwich has everything right going for it: the earthiness of the sage plays well with the sweet roasted pumpkin; the over easy egg gives you a bit of yolk action; and the mozzarella is the meltiest. It’s fall in a sandwich!

makes 1 sandwich
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
total time: 10 minutes

OIL
1 LARGE EGG
3-4 SLICES OVEN-ROASTED PUMPKIN
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
1 TABLESPOON BUTTER
3-4 SAGE LEAVES
2 SLICES BREAD OF CHOICE
2 SLICES MOZZARELLA



In a small pan, heat up a bit oil over medium heat and cook the egg, over easy, to your liking. I kept mine at medium soft. Remove the egg and add a bit of butter and crisp up the sage leaves, flipping as needed. Remove the sage from the pan.

Place 1 slice of bread down on a cutting board and top with a slice of mozzarella, the crispy sage, roasted pumpkin, and fried egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay on another slice of cheese and the remaining slice of bread. Heat up 1/2 tablespoon of butter on medium-low head and add the sandwich to the pan. cook slowly until bread is golden brown and toasty. Most of your cheese should be melted when it’s time to flip. Remove the sandwich from the pan and add a touch more butter. When melted. Add the sandwich back to the pan, second-side in. The second-side grills a bit faster, so turn the heat down to low and keep a close eye on it. When toasty brown and perfect, remove from the pan, and enjoy hot!