Shelley'S No Onion Chili - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/4 teaspoon mc cormick broiled steak seasoning (find in your grocer's spice aisle)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 stalks celery, diced
6 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 teaspoons beef base, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 (8 ounce) jar tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can peeled tomatoes, chopped, use liquid too
2 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, with liquid
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cups water, adjust as needed, see below
chili powder
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
water, to make a smooth paste

Preparation

Brown ground beef with broiled steak seasoning, Worcestershire, garlic, mushrooms and celery.
While meat and vegetables are browning, place tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, water and spices in 5 quart stock pot.
When meat mixture is browned and vegetables are sauteed, drain hamburger mixture well.
Place hamburger mixture in pot with tomatoes, beans and spices.
Stir well.
The liquid part of the soup should be about 1 inch above the ingredients, so add water accordingly.
Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to simmer.
Simmer 3-4 hours.
15 minutes before serving, thicken soup with flour and water paste.
I add several hot tablespoons of soup to the flour mixture so it is all the same temperature and very smooth, then pour into hot soup.
Bring soup to a boil and let it thicken.
Simmer an additional 3-5 minutes.
I like to put corn chips in the bottom of my bowl and then add soup, garnish with cheese and sour cream and black olives.