JoJo's Taco Bravo

(This is not a summertime recipe nor is it one I typically would enjoy: it involves lots of opening up cans and a fair amount of mayonnaise. But it's been noodling around in my head for a few months now and I wanted to nail it, write it up and put it away for the summer. I watched Paula Deen one Saturday morning when it was still very cold and snowy out and got the idea for this chili. Took me awhile to get all the pieces in the right order but served it recently at the Dancing With the Stars Finale to rave reviews. It's actually uber easy.)

1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 recipe ranch dressing using Hidden Valley herb and spice envelope, fresh buttermilk and mayonnaise
(I actually used two envelopes of herbs and spices, making a potent batch of dressing that I loosen up with more buttermilk and mayo if I end up using it on salad.)

1-1 1/2 pounds lean, lean hamburger

3 T taco seasoning or 1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix

1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with chilies
(Canned tomatoes are not created equal: if you get an elite brand the tomatoes will be seeded. Otherwise, using a run of the mill brand, your chili will have tomato seeds.)

2/3 c dehydrated onions (boorah!)
3 tsp chipotle Tabasco
2 tsp cumin


1 15 oz can pinto beans
1 15 oz can kidney beans


Season hamburger and brown in large dutch oven over medium high heat. Reduce heat and stir in taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and reserve cans.

Stir in onion, Tabasco and cumin and adjust to taste. Add beans complete with liquid and add two cans of water, using the tomato sauce and diced tomato cans. Cook over low heat until chili absorbs water and has a nice chili consistency.

Ladle into bowls, drizzle with homemade ranch dressing then sprinkle with green onions. Serve with either tortilla chips from the snack aisle or white tortillas, steamed. Bravo, bravo, bravo.

JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA