Garden Pepper Chili

The weather is slowly but surely cooling off, and it's been rather rainy. This is the perfect time for chili. Luckily I had a few peppers ready in my garden and time this weekend to whip up a pot. This is a pretty mild tasting chili, but it has a good taste. The emphasis here is on the different pepper flavors which meld together really well and make for a chunky-style chili without the beans. So if you like spicier chili, add some spicier peppers or increase the amount of cayenne pepper or even add red pepper flakes. This is a great start, but if you'd like your chili even chunkier, up the amount of peppers, onions, and tomatoes.

Garden Pepper Chili
2 lbs ground beef
2 tbsp butter
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped

½ poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

2 red fresno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cherry peppers, seeded and chopped
4-5 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
2-14 oz cans tomato sauce
1 small can green chili peppers, diced
2 heaping tbsp cumin
1-2 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp chili pepper paste (like Sriracha)
salt and pepper to taste
½ 8 oz can tomato paste

Brown the ground beef in a large pot. Once most of the meat has browned, add butter if necessary, onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Lightly cook until edges of vegetables appear soft. Add poblano, red fresno, jalapeño, and cherry peppers, tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chili peppers, and seasonings. Cook on a low simmer for 1-2 hours until vegetables are soft. Add tomato paste and simmer for another ½ hour. Serve with desired toppings like cheese or sour cream.