By Linda Gassenheimer / Tribune News Service
Chili con carne is as American as the Super Bowl. Some like it hot, some like it mild, but almost everyone likes chili. It’s a perfect dinner for Super Bowl weekend coming up. Here’s a recipe that’s great for parties and great for a quick, easy dinner for two.
Serve the chili with bowls of sour cream chopped onion and cilantro. Chili freezes well. Double the recipe and freeze half for another quick dinner.
Open a bag of washed, ready-to-eat salad and serve with reduced-fat dressing to complete the meal.
White cannellini or navy beans can be substituted for the red kidney beans. To save preparation time, use chopped or diced fresh onion available in the produce department of the supermarket. Lean ground sirloin (95 percent) can be substituted for the buffalo meat.
Quick fix: Make the chili. Assemble the salad.
Chili con carne
2 teaspoons olive oil
1½ cups chopped onion, divided use
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
½ pound ground buffalo
1½ cups reduced-sodium canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups reduced-sodium canned crushed tomatoes
1½ tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For garnish:
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the meat and brown. Add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder and ground cumin. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more chili powder or cumin as needed.
Serve chili and pass the bowls of sour cream, remaining ½ cup onion and cilantro for garnish.
Makes 2 servings. Nutrition per serving: 532 calories (19 percent from fat), 11.2 grams fat (2.4 grams saturated, 3.8 grams monounsaturated), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 45.2 grams protein, 67.7 grams carbohydrates, 20.2 grams fiber, 341 milligrams sodium.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook,” “Delicious One-Pot Dishes” and “Quick and Easy Chicken.”
