Because my back is still cranky and standing for long periods in the kitchen is verboten, the crock pot and I have become close friends. Add to that some very tight purse strings, and you have a recipe for simplicity.
A month ago I had a chili craving, but my usual recipe requires a lot of time standing and chopping, so I tried something ridiculously easy:
Pour two large (40 oz) cans of kidney beans (I used dark because that’s all the store had that day!) into your crock pot.
Brown 1 or 1.5 lbs of ground beef (I used 80/20% fat beef for a slightly more decadent flavor) with a little salt and pepper. Put beef (sans most fat) into crock pot on top of beans.
Chop up 1 or 2 green peppers and an onion and layer on top of beef. Add one chopped clove of garlic if you wish.
Pour in one 28 oz can of diced tomatoes in puree.
Sprinkle pot liberally with paprika/chili powder and a little more salt and pepper.
Set that baby to cook, and that’s it!
I set my crock pot to cook over 6 hours, since the meat was already browned.
Makes a whopping full pot of really tasty chili with a little sweetness from the puree and a tiny bit of zip from the peppers. Serve with cheese, fresh bread, crackers, whatever you want. Made dinner for me for a whole week, and I think I’ll be making it again for the new year!
Filed under: Cooking, Cooking for Guys, Crock Pot Meals, Easy Stuff, Entrees, Our Own Recipes, Recipes | Tagged: cold weather foods, crock pot, easy foods
Hey MJ – great to hear from you! My veggie addition to the chili would be to use some different kinds of beans. White beans, black beans, pinto, black eyed peas, etc. Any of them work great and cost the same as kidney. I also like to throw in a can of sweet corn. I also like to brown the onions a bit – without meat that adds a bit more flavor. I like to put in a mix of sauce and diced tomatoes. If you want to pass on even the pepper chopping you can buy a little can of green chilis (in the hispanic food aisle) but they do add spice so taste before you add the chili powder. For spices try adding just a little bit of cinnamen with the chili powder. Take care
Roberta
Hi, everybody! Thanks for inviting me. 2007 was a year I tried new foods, so I’m happy to have a place to share my experiences. I tried Indian food (*YUM*) and learned to make sushi at home. It’s not exactly restaurant-grade execution but it tastes good. Looking forward to joining the fray!