Easy Homemade Chili

So Bryan and I usually eat chili out of the can because we like the tomato base kind of chili but the chili in the can has fake meat and lots of sodium. So I decided to be adventurous and make up my own chili recipe - and, not to brag, but it rocks (or atleast we think it rocks!). The nice thing about this recipe is that it is cheap to make and you can change it up by adding new veggies, more beans, or different meat.

1 pound hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used an orange pepper but any will do fine)
1/2 Chili Seasoning packet (I used the Albertsons brand - you can find these where you find taco seasoning packets)
1 can tomato sauce (like the 14 or 15 oz. size)
1/3 cup barbeque sauce (I actually just squirted some in, so start with less - you can always add more later)
1 large can Chili Beans in sauce

Brown hamburger with onion and pepper. Add seasoning packet and stir. Add tomato sauce and beans. Add BBQ sauce. Salt to taste. It tastes better if you let it simmer on very low for a little while so the flavors can incorporate. We topped ours with sour cream and cheese.

Variations: Here are some ideas that you can change up the chili with. Add stew meat or leftover roast cut into pieces instead of hamburger. Sausage would be interesting too! Add a can of petite diced stewed tomatoes (I would drain some of the juice off). Saute carrots until soft and add for more nutrition in your chili. Add a can of kidney or black beans to the large can of chili beans (don't omit the chili beans in sauce - they are critical!!!). Add minced garlic for flavor.