In class cooking: chili and hot chocolate

Mrs. D's Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, crumbled and fried
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can pasta sauce
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can dark red kidney beans (sometimes I add a can of white kidney beans as well)
2-3 tsp chili powder (start with 2, add another if needed)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch cayenne pepper (to make the chili more spicy)

Directions:
1.  Fry the ground beef in a frying pan until browned (no pink showing any more)
2.  Add the onion and green pepper and continue frying until both the onion and green pepper are softened.
3.  Drain and rinse the can of kidney beans
4.  Put all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Stir often.  Turn down the heat to minimum and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.  The longer the ingredients simmer the more flavourful the chili.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Recipe courtesy The Food Network

Ingredients
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 C milk
2 tbsp sugar
pinch salt

miniature marshmallows, for serving

Directions:
Using a sharp knife, break up the chocolate into smaller pieces.  In a saucepan, combine the chopped chocolate, milk, sugar and salt over medium-low flame.  Heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and milk is very hot, but not boiling, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and froth the chocolate milk with a mini whisk.