Happy Labor Day, USA! This means fall is right around the corner. And with cooler weather, it’s the perfect season for thick, hearty chili!

Confession: this is a copy-cat recipe for the chili from Wendy’s. It’s one of the foods I missed the most after cutting out fast food, but it’s so much healthier. Plus, it tastes just like the real deal!

When serving this chili, we recommend topping it with sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream. This also makes excellent chili dogs. If you’re eating low carb, chop your hot dogs into chunks and stir them into the chili; it’s delicious! Finally, as a bonus, this chili freezes beautifully. We frequently make a large pot, eat some for dinner, and freeze the rest for quick dinners on future busy evenings!

Chili con Carne

1 pound ground beef
16 oz tomato juice
14.5 oz can tomato puree
7 oz red beans, drained and rinsed
7 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 C white onion, diced
1/4 C celery, diced
1/4 C green bell pepper, diced
2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Return the drained beef to the pot and add all remaining ingredients.

Cover the pot; let it simmer for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

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