Award Winning Chili

We had a chili cook-off at work today and I won 1st place out of 16 entries. I don't typically win things so I was very surprised to hear my name called. In fact, I don't usually enter contests (could that be why I never win?). I do not like attention, especially the kind where a lot of people are looking at you and you didn't blow dry your hair so it is unruly and you have a big red blemish on your chin and it is casual Friday and it has been a long week and you look a little frazzled and then you get your picture taken and you know it is going to show up in the newsletter and people are congratulating you in passing... that is exactly the kind of attention that makes me very uncomfortable!

By the way, Phillip doesn't eat my chili. He claims it is because he doesn't really like chili. Maybe he will think twice the next time I make it. (probably not)

I think my chili may have won because it had a kick to it. I don't always use the hot chili packet (usually use the "original" packet). I seem to make it a little different each time, but here are the ingredients I used in the award winning chili:

1 pound ground beef (the package I used was 1.22 lbs)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of Rotel
1 can of kidney beans (I like the light red)
1 can of chili beans in medium sauce
1 hot chili spice packet (I used McCormick)
1 medium white onion (chopped and sauteed with the ground beef)
Approx 1/2 cup of water from rinsing out the cans of sauce and crushed tomatoes

Nothing fancy but I think the key is to simmer for a long time to let all of the flavors blend together.