Wanna learn how to make a super easy hearty meal that the rednecks…err…boys in your life will love?  (silence)  Ok.  I think I heard someone cough in the back…and I will take that as a collective ‘yes’ 🙂  Well, here is my latest version of Easy Cheesy Chili…and when I use the term ‘easy’, I mean that you won’t need a measuring cup or need to know the difference between a teaspoon and tablespoon.  I think that even non-cooking-types could make this one. 

 

So basically go ahead and plop your ground beef (1 poundish) in a pan and cook it on MedHigh till it is brown.  Then add a package of chili seasoning mix.  Stir.   

Pour in your can of diced tomatoes (Rotel will work too for those die-hard-rednecks) and chili beans (ranch beans are an ok substitute but Bushs Brand is our favorite) and one can of nacho cheese soup.  I also throw in about a half a can of water.  Cook on high, stirring occasionally till it looks chunky enough for your hubby…for my boyfriend that means about 30 minutes.

You know the chili is chunky enough when you stir it and the meat and beans don’t settle under a soupy layer.  It will kinda look like above.  While you are not looking at the stove and wondering how many calories are in one serving, shred some sharp cheddar cheese and stir your sour cream.

The cheese on top is the real kick in the pants…makes this thing extra cheesy.  And you know how much I love the cheese 🙂   A plop of sour cream (Plop is a technical cooking term in a redneck’s kitchen) and this meal will go down oh-so-easy (like a certain NJ housewife…forgive me Lord). 

I ran out of Fritos and bread so I toasted some pita pockets to serve with the meal.  Jeremy really liked them so this might be my classy-nonredneck-Panera-style coming out.

Oh and because I know that some nameless boys (coughJeremycough) don’t like tomatoes, this meal definitely has a full serving of lycopene.  Lycopene can help prevent prostate cancer.  Get it?  Lyco-PENE?!? 🙂  And I don’t like the thought of anything attacking my boyfriend’s man-junk.  So I like to sneak in tomatoes whenever possible.  I even illustrated how many little mater chunks this one bowl contains.

But the boys don’t even notice the tomatoes with all the chunks of meat and beans and strings of cheese that are in front of them. 

This meal is perfect for four grown rednecks – especially during football season but really you could make it after any difficult labor day.  My Jeremy has been working so hard outside lately on the yard and when he comes in the door and smells the chili – it’s like I was wearing a neon sign that said “BEST WIFE EVA”.  Seriously.  Many foot rubs have resulted from this meal.  And let me assure you, I was the one doin the chilling…or should I say chili-ing 🙂