Chili for the chilly

Today it rained. Cool and cloudy. A far cry from the 100+ temps of just one week ago. A perfect day for chili! This is one of our go-to meals when it's late and I don't know what to make for dinner. It's quick, easy, and I usually have the ingredients on hand either canned, fresh or frozen. Enjoy. Garden Chili 1 lb. ground beef 2 cloves minced garlic 2 stalks chopped celery 1 or 2 chopped bell peppers, fresh or frozen 1 cup shredded zucchini, fresh or frozen 1 quart bottled tomatoes with juice, or about 2 lbs. fresh, peeled and chopped 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained 1 can, (15 oz.) or one pint tomato sauce 3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1 tsp dried 2 to 3 tsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Brown the ground beef with the garlic. Add everything else. Bring to boil then simmer until veggies are cooked, especially the celery, about 20 min or until you are ready to serve. Better the second day, according to my dd. One of these days I'd like to figure out how to use dried beans in the recipe instead of commercially canned. But that will probably take some planning ahead. This post is linked to Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday.