Blue Ribbon Chili

Spices
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 Tablespoon dried, minced onion
1 Tablespoon dried, minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ freshly ground pepper

Chili
2 pounds ground lean beef*
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2½ cups tomato sauce
1 cup Pace medium Picante sauce
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
Chopped onions
Crushed tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar cheese

Spices: Combine flour and next 10 ingredients in a zip lock bag. Shake well to combine. Set aside.

Chili: Cook and crumble ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned. Pour into colander and rinse with hot water until water runs clean. Take handfuls and rub between hands to crumble into fine pieces. Drain well.

Return ground beef to Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the seasoning mixture. Stir to mix well. Add tomato sauce and Picante sauce; mix well. Cover and simmer over low heat for a minimum of 1 hour. Add black beans and pinto beans; cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes.

Serve in bowls topped with chopped onions, crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese. (Yield: 8 servings)

* Can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.

Variation: Serve warm chili on a bed of shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes to make a taco salad. Garnish with chopped onions, crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese.