Chilli Con Carne

I love chilli con carne - but as my partner isn't a huge fan of mince I just don't have it enough. Yesterday however (when clearing out the mess of a chest freezer we have) I found a pack of lean beef mince and decided that I was having chilli for tea!

Chilli Con Carne
Serves 2-4 (depending on how big you like your meals and what you have it with)
Total time: About 35 minutes (including chopping up veg, etc.)

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or whatever cooking oil you use)
• 500g lean beef mince
• 1 medium-large onion (chopped)
• Handful of mushrooms (I used 6 - peeled and sliced)
• Frozen mixed peppers (A generous amount - I used about 1.5 cups worth)
• 2 gloves of garlic/2 tsp lazy garlic
• 1 tbsp mild chilli powder (you can use hot if you like - didn't want to risk with my heartburn)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Bovril/beef stock cube (I just like the extra kick Bovril gives)
• 2 tbsp of dried coriander
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 250g passata
• 410g tin of red kidney beans
• Half a tin of baked beans
• Half a tin of sweetcorn

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a decent sized saucepan on a medium-high heat, add beef mince and cook until mince has all gone brown (I know it will keep cooking but having given myself food poisoning before I take no risks!)
2. Next add in the onion, mushrooms and peppers and let them cook through for a few minutes until they are all nice and soft.
3. Now it's time to add in the flavour! Garlic, chilli powder, paprika, cumin, stock cube (crumble it in), coriander and tomato puree got chucked in. Give it a good stir - now is when it all starts to smell like a really good chilli! Yum!
4. Now add in the passata and give it a good stir. Turn the pan down to a medium-low heat now.
5. Let the pan simmer for about 10 minutes or so (this is when I do my jacket potatoes... I used frozen ones last night because I am trying to use up as much freezer food as possible at the moment. Tonight I'm having it with rice though so this is when I'd chuck on the rice).
6. Finally, add in the beans and sweetcorn. Give it a stir. 
7. Leave it to continue simmering away and then turn the heat back up just before you're ready to eat it.
8. Serve with jacket potato, rice, pasta, salad, garlic bread, in wraps... the choices are endless! Enjoy!

(P.S. this is super simple - I am rubbish at cooking and even I spent the whole meal going "this is amazing!" and "I am a chef"... lol.)