Three Bean Chili Deluxe

I found this recipe on the blog Design Mom. I'm not a huge fan of chili, but I was in the mood for some last winter and decided to try this. It is really yummy. I think the ranch adds a great flavor. Thanks Design Mom (and her kids who developed the recipe)!

Three Bean Chili Deluxe
from Design Mom

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping tsp garlic, chopped
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans light kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans dark kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans black beans
1 entire packet of Ranch dressing powdered mix
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t salt
2 teaspoons cream cheese

Brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don't drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Here is what I do different. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. It has way less fat and tastes the same for this recipe. I think you can use any combination of beans. Last time I made it I didn't have any cans of light or dark kidney beans. I had a can of cannellini (white kidney) beans, so I used that, along with a can of pinto beans. I cooked some dried kidney beans (about 1 2/3 cup cooked beans equals a can) and used those since I didn't have canned kidney beans. So my chili had 4 different kinds of beans (black, kidney, cannellini, and pinto). I thought it was still as good as the time I made it with the beans listed in the recipe.