As the title says, I really only make chili annually. It's not difficult to make, it's inexpensive and pretty healthy too! But when I make it, I make a lot of it and we usually end up eating it for a week and then tire of it. Sometimes I'll portion the chili out into freezer bags for a quick meal, but often times it gets forgotten and that poor little package just sits in the freezer indefinitely.
Why not make a smaller batch? Well, 1. I'm a fan of leftovers and chili only gets better the next day and 2. I like to let it cook for a long time, so it makes more sense to make a larger batch, since the same amount of energy is being used anyways.
The point is, I made chili the other day! Yes, there were left overs, but not a lot of it went to waste and it was delicious.
I used extra lean ground beef sirloin, didn't follow a recipe, used canned everything (beans, tomatoes, beef broth etc.), fresh peppers and added coffee and dark chocolate into it, because that what the guys on the Food Network do.
I think the whole batch cost about seven bucks. :)
There are a bazillion recipes out there and I'm sure you will find one and tweak it to your own satisfaction. I ate mine with a generous dollop of sour cream. The contrast between spicy and steaming hot chili versus the creamy coldness of the sour cream made the whole dish perfect! Plus, it adds another food group into the mix and since we ate our chili with bread- it was a complete meal.
Take that, Canada's Food Guide!
I should totally make chili more often. A vegan version, perhaps?