Baked Spuds With Chili

This is one of my faourite meals and a great one for winter. I can't remember if I've written this up before (I really need some sort of blog search function) so I'll just go ahead and give you the recipe. This will serve four.



4 large potatotes
1 large onion, diced
350g of minced beef
1 can of chili beans
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 packet of Old El Paso Chili seasoning
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh Italian flat leafed parsely, chopped
Oil
Black pepper and fresh red chili if you are feeling brave

Cabbage
Carrots
Mayo

Put the potatoes in the oven at 160C two hours before you want to eat, make sure to pierce the skins. I use a thin stainless steel wire, about 1mm thick and stab them all over.
1 hour after the potatoes have gone in, start to make your sauce. Cook the onions in a little oil until soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste mix in and cook for about two minutes then add the mince and brown well. When the mince is well browned add the chili seasoning (and the pepper and fresh chili if you wish) and mix it well into the mince. Then add the other ingredients and a little water if necessary, put on the pan lid and simmer very slowly strirring occasionally. After 40 mmins take the lid off so that the sauce can reduce a little and thicken up. Taste the sauce and adjust flavours to suit. Check the spuds and turn them up to 180C if not quite ready. Once sauce and potatoes are ready split the potatoes and put on grated cheese then the meat sauce and then a spoonful of lite sour cream. Serve with coleslaw. It's even better as leftovers the next day.