1½ cups dry red or kidney beans
1 large onion, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1- pound ground beef
1 1-pound can tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 bay leaf

Rinse beans; then add to 1 ½ quarts cold water and let stand overnight. Add 1 tsp salt to beans and the soaking water, cover, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving the bean liquid.
Brown onion, green pepper, and meat in a little hot oil. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, bay leaf, dash paprika, and dash cayenne. Cover; simmer 1 ½ hours, adding reserved bean liquid or water, if needed.