Depending on the region of the country you hail from, chili wears many different cloaks. This is my midwestern, Mennonite version that is simple and more of a soup than a chunky stew. It is hearty enough to chase away the chills on a cold evening. It pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich, or grilled brauts or hotdogs, or a dusting of shredded cheese and large fritos. This recipe will provide 10-12 generous servings. Feel free to half the ingredients if you aren't feeding an army. And a few words about beans; many of the ingredients for this soup come from humble cans, including the beans. I actually use baked beans because I like the slightly sweet tang it adds to the chili, but feel free to use a can of kidney beans if the baked beans sound strange to you.  Please eat more beans; the world needs more gas. 

Chili Soup

3 lbs. ground round (or hamburger)

2 small onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

2 Tbsp. flour

3 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 c. brown sugar

4 tsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

few sprinkles red pepper flakes, if more heat is desired

2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes

2 cans tomato soup

2 soup cans of water

1 can baked beans (28 oz.)

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, brown the ground round and onions, stirring frequently and chopping with a wooden spoon to break up the pieces of beef. When the meat is barely pink, add the minced garlic and brown for a few more minutes. Stir in all the dry ingredients: flour, chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes (if desired); allow to cook for several minutes, stirring well. Add the cans of crushed tomatoes, the tomato soup and the cans of water, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to the lowest temperature and simmer the soup, covered, for 45-60 minutes, stirring frequently while scraping along the bottom to prevent burning. Add the can of baked beans and simmer for 15 minutes more. Serve with your desired accoutrements. This keeps in the fridge for up to a week and can also be frozen for dinner at a later date.