Ingredients

• 1  pound lean ground beef
• 1/2  cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 small)
• 1/2  cup chopped onion (1 medium)
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 1  15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1  15-ounce can red kidney beans, undrained
• 1  14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2  to 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/4  teaspoon ground black pepper
•   Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
•   Chopped onion (optional)
•   Dairy sour cream (optional)
•   Crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a 3-quart saucepan cook and stir ground beef, sweet pepper, 1/2 cup chopped onion, and the garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Stir in tomato sauce, undrained beans, undrained tomatoes, chili powder, salt, basil, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. To serve, ladle chili into bowls. If desired, top each serving with cheese, chopped onion, and/or sour cream and pass crushed red pepper. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

3. Chili for Two: Prepare as above, except divide all ingredients in half.

4. Cincinnati-Style Chili: Prepare as above, except omit sweet pepper, basil, and optional garnishes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the tomato sauce. To serve, place 1/2 cup hot cooked spaghetti on each of 4 serving plates; make an indentation in center of each portion. Top each serving with some of the chili, 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped onion, and/or 1/4 cup additional kidney beans.