Quick and Easy Cincinnati Chili

I promise that's a tomato and not a commentary on my cooking.

I have been craving Cincinnati Chili for a few weeks now so when I saw ground beef in the freezer and spaghetti noodles in the pantry I jumped at it. Now it may not look like it by my daughter's expression, but keep in mind both kids were on their second bowl, and well, mine was empty. I realized to late that I had forgotten to take a picture of the end product. (Yes, I went and sat in blogger time out and thought about my sins.)

Quick and Easy Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef 

1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used green onions because they were starting to turn)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp beef granules

2 cans beans (I used ranch style, and a can of pinto)

2 cans stewed tomatoes 

2-3 heaping tbsp. chili powder

salt to taste

hot sauce to taste (I only used 4-5 good splashes of Tapatio because, kids)

spaghetti noodles (I used Barilla Protein Plus, because it's what we had)

water for boiling noodles

good dash of salt to add to pasta water (optional)

cheddar cheese, grated

minced onion

chopped tomatoes 

Directions

Brown the meat in a large heavy bottomed pot. Try to get a little caramelization on it for flavor, but before it gets to that point add the onion and garlic. Dump the canned goods into the pot, beef granules, and stir in the seasonings. Start the pasta water and add salt. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. (Usually 8 minutes) The water will take a little while to boil so fiddle with the chili seasonings while waiting. Then take it off the heat, or leave on low, and let it sit until the pasta is done. Drain the pasta, and serve it in individual bowls. Top with the chili, cheese, minced onion, and chopped tomatoes. (For a gooey mess, that well, I love, zap the bowl in the nuker for a few seconds with the cheese on top. It gets all melty and yummy! Then add the other toppings and serve.)

To make this vegetarian friendly simply replace the beef and beef granules with tvp and vegetable bouillion. Check labels to make sure beans don't have added animal fat (lard) added.

To make it a bit more clean eating (21 day Fix friendly) use whole grain noodles, spaghetti squash, or use a vegetable spiralizer. Check labels for added salt, sugar, and additives. It can be quite difficult to find clean eating canned goods in some areas so just do the best you can. Beef can also be replaced with ground turkey.