Glorified chili

I came across a recipe called "Taco Salad Dippers," and since I love anything and everything that has to do with tacos I knew I had to make it. When the recipe was all finished I was a bit disappointed. This really is just like chili, it's got all the regular ingredients. It was good, just not what I expected. At least it makes a lot of food and freezes well!

Taco Salad Dippers
Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cups water (this seemed like way too much to me, I only used 4 cups)

1 cup rice (white or brown)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon sugar (omitted)

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot (if you are using brown rice, it may need to simmer for up to 60-70 minutes).
Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping and other taco garnishes.