Prize Winning Chili

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound hot sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and green bell pepper in hot oil until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add sausage and ground beef to onion mixture; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.

Mix pinto beans, diced tomatoes, water, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt into sausage-beef mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have blended, about 1 hour.