Ted's Chili

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain grease and add to crockpot or large stew pot.

Sear the cubed meat until browned on the outside and add to the pot. NOTE: does not have to be cooked through

Strain and rinse the beans and add to pot. Also add the canned tomatoes plus the juice.

Add diced onions and half of the diced peppers to the pot. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Wait until an hour before serving to add the rest of the peppers. NOTE: waiting to add peppers helps to keep their texture...this is optional

Top off your crockpot with V8 juice or add about half of the bottle if using an oversized stew pot. Simmer the mixture on low for a few hours. The chili should naturally thicken and the stew meat will become tender.

NOTE: For spicier chili, feel free to add a small can of chipotle peppers or diced jalapeos. Other optional ingredients I like to occasionally add include sweet corn, poblano peppers, diced carrots, etc.