Chili

We served this chili at Ali and David's wedding party dinner. I tried a variation with red, yellow and orange peppers. We liked it, but thought anyone who does not like peppers would not. So, then I tried it with lots of diced zucchini. The zucchini got a bit too mushy. So, my third attempt was this recipe. My family liked it, and I hope everyone else did!


What you need:
 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
 2 lbs. ground beef
 1 lb. spicy sausage, chopping into small pieces
 1 large onion, diced
 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
 6-8 large carrots, diced
 1 lb. mushrooms, chopped
 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
 1 28 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
 1 7 oz. jar tomato paste
 2 Tb. basil
 2 Tb. chili powder
 1 Tb. thyme
 2 tsp. cumin
 2 tsp. smoked paprika
 1/8 cup raw cacao powder
 1 Tb. salt
 1 cup bone broth
 Crushed red pepper flakes if desired

What you do:
 Heat large, deep pan
 Add bacon and onion
 Cook until onion is soft
 Add ground beef and sausage
 Cook until almost browned
 Add garlic and finish cooking
 Transfer to crock pot
 Add all other ingredients
 Cook on low for 6 hours.
 Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and avocado chunks.
 Enjoy!