Put a medium stock pot or large braiser/skillet on  medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and warm it until it shimmers. Add the tomato paste and all the dried spices and stir around the pan until the tomato paste browns a bit and the spices become toasted and fragrant. Add the ground meat and begin immediately breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon or metal spatula. Continue breaking the meat up and turning it over in the pan until it is fully cooked and lightly browned.

Add the contents of the can of tomatoes, liquid and all. Stir to combine well. Reduce heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer for 30 minutes or so and thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper, or add additional dried spices to taste. Remove from heat and cool before storing in sealed containers. Should be good for about 5 days….if it lasts that long.

Note: I do not pretend that this is authentic, cooked-for-hours chili. If you want that it would be easy to find a great recipe in a google-minute.  This recipe is not on anyone’s culinary cutting-edge!  It’s one of those down and dirty quick and easy things mom’s sometimes make. I love it because it’s virtually no carbs — a tasty, quick protein meal to make kids eat before homework or a practice so they can focus and have energy for the task at hand. However you could make it a more traditional chili by adding drained and rinsed canned beans, or using fresh chopped onions and garlic at the beginning, instead of the respective powders. You could melt cheese over the top when serving, (I frequently do) and use chips to scoop it into your mouth (I frequently do this too.) — RR

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