by Cynthia Lynch

Created on: July 01, 2008   Last Updated: March 29, 2011

For time-pressed cooks, one-dish meals like soups, stews and casseroles are often the perfect solution. One of the quickest to prepare is chili, an economical crowd-pleaser with enough versatility to keep things interesting for the whole family.

The foundation of a basic chili is freshly chopped garlic and onions, chili powder and canned crushed tomatoes, plus a little bit of vegetable oil for sauteing; they're ingredients that can always be at hand in the pantry. If there's no time to chop, you can always use bottled chopped garlic and freshly chopped onions from the produce section of your supermarket. Variety enters the picture with the addition of ground meat, beans, or a combination of the two, but the choices don't end there. With a few more ingredients on hand, the possibilities increase substantially, as you'll see below.

BASIC CHILI
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
FOR MEAT CHILI: 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
FOR MEAT AND BEAN CHILI: 1 pound ground beef or turkey and one 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
FOR BEAN CHILI: two 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method: In large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and stir about 30 seconds. If using meat, add it to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned. Stir in chili powder, tomatoes and water. If using beans add them here. Bring to simmer and cook, uncovered, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Any basic chili can be served as is, over rice, and topped with shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Crusty bread, flour tortillas, tortilla chips or cornbread are satisfying accompaniments.

Pasta and canned broth are two more pantry staples that give you a few family-friendly options. To make classic chili mac, add 3 cups of broth and 1 cup elbow macaroni to any basic chili after it has been simmering 10 minutes. Bring chili back to simmer, cover and cook until macaroni is tender, about 10 more minutes. Or, after simmering a meat chili for 20 minutes, try thinning it with 1-2 cups of broth and serving it over cooked spaghetti. Top either one with grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. For a Cincinnati-style experience, use a little less chili powder

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