Nate's Awesome Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1/2 lime

3 15 oz cans beans (I like kidney and black)

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 16 oz can beef broth

2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

cumin

chili powder

paprika/cayenne pepper

red pepper flakes

other spices of your choice

salt

pepper

In a large pot (I prefer a dutch oven) brown the ground beef with a tablespoon or two of each spice (use cayenne pepper instead of paprika and red pepper flakes for some heat), a large pinch of salt and a tea spoon or so of pepper. Add the cilantro, tomato sauce, broth, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, bell pepper, beans, and garlic, and squeeze the half lime into the pot. Give it all a good stir to mix it up. Bring to a boil. Taste it to make sure that it is to your liking and add spices as needed. Now cover the pot and lower the heat and simmer for an hour. After an hour take another taste and make any adjustments if needed. Continue simmering, covered, for another hour. After the 2nd hour, enjoy your chili, it will be delicious. Boy, that was easy!

Notes:

• If you prefer, you can use a different colored bell pepper. I like green because they aren't as sweet as red/yellow/orange, and the tomatoes already add sweetness.
• I like to think of cayenne as spicy paprika, so I generally use one or the other. That isn't exactly true so mix and match however you want. I never really measure my spices, I prefer the "taste often" approach.
• The key to this chili are the tomato ingredients, the cilantro (MUST BE FRESH!) and the lime juice. I'd recommend changing up the other ingredients as you see fit. Pork, poblano chilis, maybe a chocolate bar...I do prefer white onions over yellow however, they have a brighter flavor that I like.
• I really want to try using this chili in lasagna. It may not work, but hey, at least I'd know.