Chilly? Make Some Chili!

During the Winter months I like to make soups and stews on the weekends in large batches. They make a quick warm lunch during the week. They also tend to be diet friendly, especially those that are bean or lentil based, rather than pasta or potato. One of my faves is good old fashioned chili. My recipe evolved from Callie's, which probably came from my mom. The great thing about recipes like this is that you can pretty much customize them however you like. But here's what I do.Ingredients:1 lb stew beef (cut into even smaller pieces or use ground beef if you prefer)1 15 oz can kidney beans1 15 oz can black beans1 15 oz can diced tomatoes1 6 oz can tomato pastehalf white onion, diced2 cups V-8 (use spicy if you want more heat)1 packet chili seasoning1 lime, halved (not pictured)Steps:Combine beef, onion, and juice from one half of the lime in a skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is browned. Do not cook the beef all the way or it will get tough later.Drain the beans and combine with V-8, chili seasoning mix, juice of remaining lime half, diced tomatoes, and meat/onion mixture in a large pot.Bring to a boil.Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.Stir in tomato paste to thicken.Serve hot. Refrigerate left overs.But the chili is only half the story here. The toppings are where you can really get creative. My mom always served chili with shredded lettuce, cheese, and Fritos. It was awesome. When I got older, I added a dollop of sour cream. But nowadays, I can't really feel good about having Fritos in the house, for obvious reasons. My favorite topping now is diced onion, shredded white cheddar, and mustard. But Fritos on top of that would be awesome. Damn, now I'm thinking about Fritos.