Wendy's Chili

Chili sounded so good yesterday  because it rained all day long!! It was one of those days you wish you could stay home curled up in a quilt with a good book. But since I had to work, I made chili when I got home and Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes. Yum!!! This is one of my favorite chili recipes, I love Wendy's chili!

Wendy's Chili

2 pounds lean ground beef
2-15 ounce cans tomato sauce
2-14 ounce cans kidney beans (with liquid)
2-14 ounce cans pinto beans (with liquid)
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
1/2 cup dice green chili (I buy the canned or you can use 2 chilies)
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes (chopped) or you can use 1-14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Garnish:
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Salsa

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat. In a large pot combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stiring every 15 minutes for 2 to 3 hours. Garnish with grated cheese, a dallop of sour cream, and spoonful of salsa. Also goes good with Sweet Corn Tamale cakes on the side.
Makes about 12 servings.

NOTE: for a spicier chili, add 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper. For much spicier chili, add 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper and 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper. And for a real stomach stinger, add 5 or 6 sliced jalapeno peppers to the pot. Leftovers can be frozen for several months.