Cheesy Smoked Sausage and Beans

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb dry smoked sausage (chopped or sliced)
• 1 large onion
• chopped
• 2 -3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 1 large green bell pepper
• seeded and chopped
• 1 -2 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 -2 jalapeno pepper
• seeded and chopped (optional)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans tomato soup
• undiluted
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• undrained
• 3 tablespoons green chilies
• chopped (or to taste) (optional)
• 3 (16 ounce) cans pinto beans
• with juice
• 4 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans
• undrained
• salt and pepper
• sugar (optional)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, brown the ground beef with smoked sausage, onion, garlic, bell pepper, chili flakes and jalapeno peppers (if using) until the meat is well browned (about 10-12 minutes) drain fat.
2. Add in the undiluted soup, diced tomatoes with juice, green chilies (if using) pinto beans with juice and pork and beans with juice; stir to combine then season with salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally (you might want to add in some sugar if desired).
3. At the end of cooking stir in the cheddar cheese until combined.