Chorizo Chili

My grandmother used to make a dish that all the grand-kids loved and we fondly just referred to as "Chorizo." A visit to Grand-dad and Grandma's usually meant two things: A batch of bread pudding and a batch of Chorizo for lunches and late night snacks. She would brown some ground beef, add chorizo sausage, re-fried beans, and hard boiled eggs. We'd eat it in a flour tortilla as burrito filling and top it with shredded cheese. For years now, since her passing, I have missed her cooking and certain flavors remind me of her. Chorizo is one of them.

The weather has been cold and rainy the past few days and when I went to the store to pick up some chili fixin's, I spotted the chorizo and had an idea! "I'm gonna add the chorizo to the chili!" The chili that resulted was not only delicious, it had that smoky chorizo flavor I was looking for and Grandma would have loved it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey (I use turkey)
1/2 small onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 - 10oz tube of chorizo sausage (chorizo comes in both pork and beef.. I prefer beef)
1 can chili beans
1 - 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 - 15oz can tomato sauce
1 packet chili seasoning
1/2 cup corn (optional - my kids love corn in their chili)

Directions:











Brown ground meat in a large sauce pot.
Add diced onion to the browned meat and cook and stir until the onions begin to soften.










Make a "well" in the center, exposing the bottom of the pan and add the chorizo sausage.
Allow the sausage to cook and 'melt' before mixing into the rest of the meat.










Add the chili beans and the diced tomatoes and simmer for 5 mins.










Add the tomato sauce and the packet of chili seasoning and stir.
Add the corn (if desired).
Cover and simmer on med-low flame for 10-15 mins until bubbling and heated through.
Serve hot with cheese and sour cream.