Crockpot Chili

I love a good bowl of chili. It's one of those meals that is excellent on cold, rainy days, but can also be jazzed up easily. There are probably a thousand different ways to make it, but this is, by far, my favorite. It’s packed full of protein, fiber, and vitamin C, plus I use a special seasoning blend to get the flavor to our exact preference. This chili recipe is easy to make, especially for people who aren’t home throughout the day. Let your Crockpot do most of the work! Just put about 20 minutes into it before work and you’ll come home to a deliciously spicy smelling house and a hot dinner waiting for you. Enjoy!

¾ lb. lean (93/7) ground beef

1 medium onion (use red or Vidalia for sweeter chili), chopped

3 cloves of garlic, whole, peeled

3  15-oz cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 large (29 oz) can of tomato sauce

½ tiny can of tomato paste

1/3 – ½ cup chili seasoning (recipe follows)

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Lightly season with salt and pepper. While it is browning, chop the onion, peel the garlic, and make the chili seasoning (recipe follows). Once the onions have sweat for about 3 minutes, add the 3 garlic cloves. Be careful not to burn them.

Finally, dump everything into your Crockpot. Stir well. Cook on low 4-8 hours. The longer you cook it, the sweeter and smokier the flavor will be. 

Chili Seasoning Recipe*:

¼ c. all purpose flour

4 tsp ground chili powder

2 tsp white sugar

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp crushed red peppers

1 tsp garlic powder (optional- I use either this OR the 3 garlic cloves)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

                           *This makes enough for one batch of chili the way I make it, but you can use less if you'd like.

Here is the finished product:

I hope you'll give this crowd pleaser a try. It's delicious with monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, sour cream, corn chips, cornbread, or just by its delicious self.  Bon appétit!  =)