crock pot
Crock Pot Chili
Chili is a mainstay in our house, whether it’s a special occasion or just a cold winter night. Today is the Super Bowl, Chili is a perfect dinner for such an event. It cooks all day in the crock pot and it’s ready when you are. It goes great with tortilla chips and wings and everything else that goes along with celebrating the Big Game.
My chili is of course, very simple, with very few ingredients. My husband is a picky eater and hater of most vegetables, so I have created an excellent chili compromise. If I were to make this for myself or for others who enjoyed vegetables, I would add green peppers, onions and lots of tomatoes. However, this version has none of that. But it’s still quite delicious!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey – our favorite)
1 can red kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can chili beans
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
Hot sauce to taste (We like a lot!)
Instructions:
Spray the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray. Pre-cook the ground beef. While the meat is cooking, open the cans of beans and tomato sauce. Drain the kidney beans and black beans, pour into the crock pot. Do not drain the chili beans. Use that liquid in the chili, so just pour the whole can of chili goodness into the crock pot. Add the tomato sauce and chili powder. Sprinkle with hot sauce, if desired. Stir well. When the beef is done, add that to the mixture. Stir until well mixed. Cook on medium heat for 4-6 hours.
Scoop into bowls and top with sour cream, cheese and green onions. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Top 5 Favorite Kitchen Gadgets
To prep you all for the upcoming Christmas shopping season, I have composed my “Top 5 Favorite Kitchen Gadget” list! These are some of my tried and true kitchen gadgets that I love and cannot live without. Post to the comments and let me know what you can’t live without in the kitchen!
1. Crock Pot.
This is the most-used and most-favorite item in my kitchen. When I was working, it was a life saver. Throw in dinner before you leave for work, and dinner is practically done when you get home. Plus the house smells amazing. If you don’t have one of these gems yet, you need one! Now!
Crock-Pot SCCPVP550-B Programmable Slow Cooker
2. KitchenAid.
I am a little ashamed at how long it took me to understand the awesomeness of the KitchenAid. I received one exactly one year ago for my birthday. It has changed my life. If you don’t have one, you NEED one. Baking breads and cookies is so much easier. Your arms will thank you if you get one.
KitchenAid Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer
3. Keurig.
The Keurig is a wonderful invention. Is it necessary? No. A regular coffee maker works just fine. Is it a luxury? A little bit. Is it amazing? Yep. I held out on getting a Keurig for a very long time. Then I jumped on the bandwagon last year and haven’t looked back.
Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System
And if you’re going to go all out and get a nice Keurig, you might as well get a neat place to store your K-Cups!
DecoBros K-cup Storage 2 Drawers Holder for Keurig K-cup Coffee Pods
4. Griddle Pan.
This griddle pan is fantastic. You don’t have to haul out a big griddle, just grab this pan when you’re in the mood for pancakes. We also use it for turkey burgers and quesadillas. It’s a great kitchen gadget! And it’s less than $10!
Farberware 20442 Aluminum Nonstick Square Meal Griddle, 11-Inch, Gray
5. OXO Good Grips Peeler.
This is the world’s BEST potato peeler. If you have to peel a lot of potatoes like I do (my family LOVES mashed potatoes!), this is the peeler for you. It makes an otherwise monotonous and annoying task much easier. And it’s really inexpensive!
Check out Amazon.com for other great holiday kitchen gadgets for yourself or to give as gifts!
Chicken Noodle Soup
I’ve been feeling the need to make comfort food lately. The cooler temperatures and shorter days are sure signs that winter is on the way. What better way to feel cozy than a wonderful, warm, homemade bowl of chicken noodle soup. This is my own recipe that I created through trial and error, so you may want to tweak it to fit your own taste. For example, my husband is not a fan of celery or onions, so I leave them out. If it was just me, I’d have not only celery and onions, but I’d throw in mushrooms, scallions and whatever else I had in the fridge! I call this version of chicken noodle soup the simple version.
Ingredients
2 frozen chicken breasts
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped carrots, pre-cooked
2 cups pasta, pre-cooked
Salt, pepper and onion powder, to taste
Place chicken and broth in crock pot and cook on medium for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken, place in bowl to shred. Return shredded chicken to crock pot. Toss in the carrots and pasta. Cook for another 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally. You may need to add more hot water, the pasta will soak up a lot of the water once it is added.
Serve soup with rolls or crackers. Enjoy!
