Lightening Fast So-Cal Chili

On weekends I tend to cook meals that are a little more time consuming.  But the day before a holiday, when you have a big bash planned, who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen?  Not me.  So that's when I pull out one of my quick weeknight meals.

I'm thinking my Lightening Fast So-Cal Chili sounds perfect.  This chili is a game changer for weeknight meals.  30 minutes is all you need.  Dinner...done.

My dad was a big chili fanatic growing up.  Me not so much.  I do recall my mom making chili often but since I didn't care for it then (finicky eater...) I didn't pay much attention to the type of chili she made.  When I started to appreciate a good chili I set out to find a good beef one.  MGG loves chili, so I had to be on my game to find one (or several) he would enjoy.  Most of my go-to chilis are made with some sort of stew meat or chuck roast.  Those have to be cooked low and slow to become tender. 

So the question was, how do we cook chili on the weeknight and still have a hearty beef chili?  

Use ground sirloin!  The meat still has a 10% fat ratio, and has great flavor.  The plus is that it cooks up quickly!  So by using ground sirloin plus a handful of other ingredients you can have a hearty, slightly spicy, beef and bean chili on the table in 30 minutes.  No joke!

LIGHTENING FAST SO-CAL CHILI

I use California Chili Powder in the recipe, however you can use whatever chili powder you prefer.  I also add in some cayenne pepper for a little heat.  Feel free to adjust it to your liking for a hotter preference or leave it out altogether.  I named this So-Cal Chili as an ode to southern California and all the fresh avocados that are abundant.  So on they go as a topping with a dollop of sour cream which help cool down the spice from the chili.

I hope you enjoy this and try it soon!  Please leave me a comment if you do.  I love to hear from you.

Enjoy!





Lightening Fast So-Cal Chili

1 lb ground sirloin
2 tsp minced garlic
1 large shallot, diced
1 15 oz can chili beans, drained (mild or hot)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbls California chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Toppings:  sour cream, avocado (optional)

In a dutch oven add the ground sirloin, garlic, and shallot.  Cook over medium heat, stirring to break up the meat until browned.  Add the chili beans, and tomato paste.  Cook the tomato paste a few minutes then add the water.  Stir until the paste has liquefied and all is well combined.  Add the chili powder and cayenne pepper (if using) and stir until combined.  Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of avocado.