Recipe of the Week: Mike's Venison Chili

Good morning, friends! Sorry that I didn't get anything crafty posted last week. Truth is, I've been working on some gift projects for Christmas, and I'm not quite ready to post them yet.

Along with the Arctic front that blanketed most of the U.S. last week, we received our first snowfall over the weekend. We only got about an inch of snow at our house, but some of the surrounding areas got more. The bitter cold temps and the snow got my sweet hubs in the mood to cook up some venison chili, so I thought I'd share his recipe with you today:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground venison
• 1/2 of a large green bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 of a yellow onion - coarsely chopped
• 1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 can pinto beans (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 pkg. of Williams chili seasoning

Method:
Brown venison in a large cast iron skillet. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to cooked meat. Stir to combine, then add chili seasoning and pinto beans. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add bell pepper. Simmer 5 minutes more before adding the onion. Cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into bowls and serve with crackers, Fritos, sour cream, shredded cheddar, etc. if desired.

Have a great week and stay warm!