When I made chili my first time I did it as directed on the chili seasoning packet. I thought the chili seasoning packet recipe needed some help so I came up with this chili recipe and this recipe is for my chili recipe. My fiance loves my chili. Even my picky 5 yr old niece and 4 yr old newphew eat this chili. I'm not a big fan of real spicy chili and this is not very spicy and I do not like watered down chili and this chili is thick and you can almost eat it with a fork. This chili is made in a 3.5 quart crockpot cooked on low all day long or you can do it on the stove for 3-4 hours on med-high heat stirring very often to prevent sticking. You can use slighly more or less of the ingredients I use it's to your taste. I don't measure the seasonings I just sprinkle to taste. I used a mild chili seasoning packet. If you can't find Mrs. Dash Classic Italiano just leave it out it really won't affect the taste much. When I serve my chili I like to serve it with crackers, shedded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Note: Different crockpots may give different result. My Hamilton Beach makes my chili more runny then my family prefers even with 24oz of tomato paste, but with my Proctor Silex and previous Rival crockpot makes my chili is nice and thick.