Tag Archives: chili

Another Awesome Chili Recipe

Posted on October 28, 2024 | 2 comments

A friend gave me this recipe and it is supposedly an award winning recipe and having made it I can attest to the fact that it is pretty amazing. The secret ingredient is bacon so if you’re not on board with this skip this recipe and head for my other chili recipes. I wouldn’t leave it out. I mean you can if you want but it really changes the flavors . It’s made with ground beef and I’d stick with that for this one as well my Simple Red Chili recipe will work with turkey or beef.

There are also a lot of ingredients but I really really think it’s well worth the effort. I had 90% of the ingredients in the house so it was just a few things I needed. For toppings I went with fresh jalapeño, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream , guacamole and corn chips. You can do whatever toppings you prefer.

The beauty of the recipe is it really only needs to cook for 30 minutes but I did let it simmer for an hour.

It will freeze beautifully .

This recipe will probably feed 5-6 , you can add rice if you’d like.

Original recipe from Samantha Merritt– sugarspun_sam on Instagram

Ingredients:

5 strips uncooked bacon , chopped into small pieces

1 cup yellow onion diced

1 red pepper , diced ( app. 1 cup)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef — any kind you like

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder– this will keep it mild if you like more heat increase at your own risk

1 1/4 cup beef broth

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, lightly rinsed and drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, lightly rinsed and drained

14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes undrained — if you can’t find use tomatoes and chilis (mild) made by Rotel or something similar ( diced tomatoes ) usually in the Mexican Food aisle

1 7 oz. can fire roasted green chilis — again if you can’t find use green chilis ( mild) also found in the Mexican Food aisle

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

*plus toppings– sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, guacamole, avocado, chopped red onions, fresh jalapeño, and corn chips are some you may like

Directions:

I cooked in my large Le Creuset pot , you’ll need a heavy bottomed pan which is deep enough to cook everything in. I used 1 pot ( dutch oven) for all -given all the ingredients it was nice to just cook in 1 pot

Place chopped ( uncooked) bacon in your large pot or Dutch Oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 1/2 Tablespoons of grease rendered from the bacon.

Add onion and red pepper and cook until softened , about 5 minutes I like my onion to be translucent

Add minced garlic and cook another minute or so

Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula or wooden spoon as you cook. Once meat is partially browned, add brown sugar, and all the spices and stir well

Add all remaining ingredients, broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce and of course your cooked bacon and stir well.

Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes and stir frequently.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop — I allowed it to simmer on a low flame for an hour. I just always do this with sauce and chili.

Serve with preferred toppings and if you’d like to stretch it you can add rice.

Freeze unused portion for up to 3 months– should be perfect you may need some additional beef broth after the freezing process.

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Instant Pot Chili

Posted on November 2, 2018 | Leave a comment

If you’re like me and keep hearing about the wonders of this Instant Pot this is for you. The Instant Pot is a Pressure Cooker, Multicooker and Instant Pot all in one plus its a slow cooker! I bought 2 new cookbooks and this recipe came out of the book “Comfort in an Instant”by Melissa Clark ( one of my personal favorite chefs) . It’s Chili time of year and I really believe it’s Chili time of year all year round! Once I figured out my new Instant Pot and all it’s settings I was good to go and this was my Baby Step into the world of the Instant Pot. I made it on Halloween since I was home with all the trick or treaters and I was able to cook without having to attend to the pot. This recipe was titled Easy Weeknight Chili. If you cook it in the instant pot alone it is ready in under an hour. I had time so I did the first 3 steps and then turned the Instant Pot into a slow cooker for 3 hours! It’s great! I sautéed and cooked all in the 1 pot. Next time I will use the pressure cooker so watch for those recipes if you’re into the Instant Pot.

The book is titled “Comfort in an Instant” by Melissa Clark available on Amazon if you would like to see the full recipe it’s in the book.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of extra-virgin Olive Oil

1 lb. ground beef and I added 1/2 lb. ground pork ( you don’t have to but it gave the beef a wonderful layer of flavor which is obviously richer than just ground beef)Don’t use the lean version of ground beef , beef should be at least 85% lean and 15% fat. It’s your call about the pork . I would use 1 1/2 lbs. of meat

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper , diced

1 jalapeno pepper seeded ( if desired you can leave some seeds which will make it spicier) and diced up

4 garlic cloves , minced

1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin

1 28 oz can or box of diced tomatoes — original recipe calls for 1 can but I doubled it and it was just fine!

2 15 oz. cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

app. 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Fresh Lime Juice

Toppings:– these are just suggestions

Sour Cream

Salsa

Red Onions , diced

Cubed Avocado

Cilantro

Jalapeno –extra diced

I used Soft Tortillas because I had them but you can use Tortilla Chips as well

*you can also serve over rice or as a taco filling which is what Joel did with the soft tortillas.

*Just be sure you sear the meat because you don’t want steamed meat . Follow instructions and do the meat in 2 batches

*Chili freezes extremely well so double down if you’d like and freeze the remainder

Directions:

Using the saute function ( set on high) heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in the pressure cooker pot. Add half the meat, spread it over the oil, and let it brown without stirring ( this is key) saute for 5-7 minutes. Give the meat a good stir after 5 minutes and continue to cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon transfer the meat to a plate and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the Kosher Salt. I didn’t need any more oil so if you do add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Repeat till the rest of the meat is browned, and add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to this as well. Remove all the meat and you should have enough fat and oil to continue cooking veggies.

Stir the onion, bell pepper, diced jalapeno, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the pot until softened, app. 5 more minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in the meat and any juices from the plate along with the tomatoes, beans, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

After this step I turned my Instant Pot into a slow cooker by setting the button to Slow Cook for 2-3 hours ( I did 3 because I had the time) on high setting. You can set on low setting for 4-5 hours.

When finished and ready to serve I plated up in big bowls( see photo) added a squeeze or two of lime juice and we added our own toppings.

EnjoyIMG_2878IMG_2882IMG_2883! we did.

I added my photo from Halloween I gave out the candy in my Chefs Jacket and Hat figured it was appropriate.

 

 

 

 

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Kitchen Sink White Bean Chili (also my Super Bowl Chili)

Posted on January 29, 2015 | Leave a comment

dirty sink from kitchen sink chili

This was originally posted back in winter of 2013.  I am re-posting it for those of you looking for an awesome chili for Superbowl  Sunday . Enjoy!

We just got back from two beautiful days in Moab, Utah. We hiked most of the time and the glory and splendor that is there has no words. If you ever have the opportunity to go you should do so. It is an amazing area–Arches National Park, the Canyonlands, the whole area is just breathtaking. We hadn’t had snow here so we went on the road. Now we’re back and today was spectacular! It snowed in Aspen last night and we skied today. So nice to be back skiing. It was Sunday, and the Giants were in the playoffs. Joel set the DVR and we were gone all day. I had taken out a package of chopped turkey and figured that I would pick up a few things and make this chili that I love. I use a lot of stuff from my pantry and substitute ingredients where necessary (it’s a think-on-your-feet kind of recipe!) I served with shredded cheese and chips, and it was heartwarming and delicious.

I also have to add a little note: I cook a lot and usually make a big mess. Joel always cleans up and he is such a good cleaner upper! Our deal is that I do the cooking and he does the cleaning. I might add that this is a very good deal because I am not so fond of cleaning up the mess I make cooking. Obviously, I try to clean as I go, so as to not be a complete pig about it, but he’s really a good sport about it, in general. Anyway, he asked me to post a picture of some of the mess I left him in the sink.

I also make this as one of my dishes for Super Bowl but usually for Super Bowl I do it in the slow cooker so it stays warm for a long time. I just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer away. Tonite I cooked it in my trusty Le Creuset. I often mess around with these ingredients and you can too. For instance, I only had 1 can of White Northern Beans but I had 2 of Pinto so as long as they are white beans it’s okay to use them. I didn’t have Picante sauce in the house, but I had some great salsa, so I used that instead. I made it with turkey but you can use chicken, or eliminate meat altogether and make it vegetarian with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It’s chili, which is not a perfect science by any means; so be flexible with ingredients, but make sure to use proportionate amounts.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (I use green for color but be my guest and switch to whatever you have handy or prefer to use)

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 15 oz. cans of White Northern Beans (or any white bean, such as Pinto), drained

7 oz. salsa or Picante sauce (Newman’s own was in pantry but I found a fresh salsa in fridge so I substitured the fresh salsa) they are both fine, use whatever

1 8 oz. can of diced green chiles (I used 2 cans of 4 oz. hot green chiles)

1 8 oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 lb. can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. Mexican oregano (this is available here in Colorado but may not be everywhere. You can try to find it but if you can’t, regular oregano will have to do…and yes, I know that it looks like pot in my picture.)

Kosher salt to taste (you’ll need a fair amount but salt along the way to your liking, I used a fair amount of salt, but use your own discretion, it’s a big pot of chili

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you have white pepper that works as well in this, because it is White Chili)

3 – 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I start out with 3 and if it is too thick I usually add up to another cup.) I did use 4 at the end, if you’re eating it that night use 3 then before you freeze or refrigerate add another cup to the pot so as to add some more liquid.

12 oz. sour cream (Lite is good. Non-fat is okay, but I don’t love it. Strain first to get rid of that little bit of liquid. You can also use yogurt. Add this ingredient last and blend in well.) Sometimes, I take it out of container and mix it up a bit so it will blend in better.

Shredded cheese (Mexican Style, Jalapeno or Cheddar), for topping. (I let people add this themselves, since some people don’t want the cheese.)

* jalapeno pepper (I love the heat so I dice up a fresh jalapeno, add it to mine, and then leave it in a little bowl for anyone else who may want it.)

Tortilla chips on the side

Directions:

In a large stockpot (my trusty Le Creuset) melt the butter on a medium heat.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. I add the garlic at this point and a little kosher salt.

Puree 1 1/2 cans of the drained beans (Cuisinart food processor is best) until beans are smooth and add to the pot.

Add the rest of the beans, along with the salsa, chiles, corn, tomatoes, and spices (plus anything else you may want to add). Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat,  until the ingredients are blended.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. I then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour on the stove top.

Before you’re ready to serve it, add the sour cream and blend well while simmering.

I place the shredded cheese, extra sour cream, chips, fresh-cut up jalapenos, salsa (and sometimes guacamole) in bowls on the side so everyone can make their chili their way.

Enjoy!

This is so easy, you can make in the morning, and let it sit all day in fridge. You may want to add liquid at some point when you serve. We ate it that night, and then I put in containers for fridge and freezer. I added the rest of the stock before I froze it. Just add back to pot and stir, and then ladle into containers.  Keeps in fridge for at least 3 days. Perfect for freezing, I just take it out of freezer in the morning and by evening it should be defrosted , heat it up and you may need to add some liquid if it is too thick. Those little boxes ( 1 cup size) of broth come in handy here.

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Kitchen Sink White Bean Chili (also my Super Bowl Chili)

Posted on February 1, 2013 | 4 comments

We just got back from two beautiful days in Moab, Utah. We hiked most of the time and the glory and splendor that is there has no words. If you ever have the opportunity to go you should do so. It is an amazing area–Arches National Park, the Canyonlands, the whole area is just breathtaking. We hadn’t had snow here so we went on the road. Now we’re back and today was spectacular! It snowed in Aspen last night and we skied today. So nice to be back skiing. It was Sunday, and the Giants were in the playoffs. Joel set the DVR and we were gone all day. I had taken out a package of chopped turkey and figured that I would pick up a few things and make this chili that I love. I use a lot of stuff from my pantry and substitute ingredients where necessary (it’s a think-on-your-feet kind of recipe!) I served with shredded cheese and chips, and it was heartwarming and delicious.

I also have to add a little note: I cook a lot and usually make a big mess. Joel always cleans up and he is such a good cleaner upper! Our deal is that I do the cooking and he does the cleaning. I might add that this is a very good deal because I am not so fond of cleaning up the mess I make cooking. Obviously, I try to clean as I go, so as to not be a complete pig about it, but he’s really a good sport about it, in general. Anyway, he asked me to post a picture of some of the mess I left him in the sink.

I also make this as one of my dishes for Super Bowl but usually for Super Bowl I do it in the slow cooker so it stays warm for a long time. I just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer away. Tonite I cooked it in my trusty Le Creuset. I often mess around with these ingredients and you can too. For instance, I only had 1 can of White Northern Beans but I had 2 of Pinto so as long as they are white beans it’s okay to use them. I didn’t have Picante sauce in the house, but I had some great salsa, so I used that instead. I made it with turkey but you can use chicken, or eliminate meat altogether and make it vegetarian with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It’s chili, which is not a perfect science by any means; so be flexible with ingredients, but make sure to use proportionate amounts.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (I use green for color but be my guest and switch to whatever you have handy or prefer to use)

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 15 oz. cans of White Northern Beans (or any white bean, such as Pinto), drained

7 oz. salsa or Picante sauce (Newman’s own was in pantry but I found a fresh salsa in fridge so I substitured the fresh salsa) they are both fine, use whatever

1 8 oz. can of diced green chiles (I used 2 cans of 4 oz. hot green chiles)

1 8 oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 lb. can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. Mexican oregano (this is available here in Colorado but may not be everywhere. You can try to find it but if you can’t, regular oregano will have to do…and yes, I know that it looks like pot in my picture.)

Kosher salt to taste (you’ll need a fair amount but salt along the way to your liking, I used a fair amount of salt, but use your own discretion, it’s a big pot of chili

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you have white pepper that works as well in this, because it is White Chili)

3 – 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I start out with 3 and if it is too thick I usually add up to another cup.) I did use 4 at the end, if you’re eating it that night use 3 then before you freeze or refrigerate add another cup to the pot.

12 oz. sour cream (Lite is good. Non-fat is okay, but I don’t love it. Strain first to get rid of that little bit of liquid. You can also use yogurt. Add this ingredient last and blend in well.) Sometimes, I take it out of container and mix it up a bit so it will blend in better.

Shredded cheese (Mexican Style, Jalapeno or Cheddar), for topping. (I let people add this themselves, since some people don’t want the cheese.)

* jalapeno pepper (I love the heat so I dice up a fresh jalapeno, add it to mine, and then leave it in a little bowl for anyone else who may want it.)

Tortilla chips on the side

Directions:

In a large stockpot (my trusty Le Creuset) melt the butter on a medium heat.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. I add the garlic at this point and a little kosher salt.

Puree 1 1/2 cans of the drained beans (Cuisinart food processor is best) until beans are smooth and add to the pot.

Add the rest of the beans, along with the salsa, chiles, corn, tomatoes, and spices (plus anything else you may want to add). Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat,  until the ingredients are blended.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. I then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour on the stove top.

Before you’re ready to serve it, add the sour cream and blend well while simmering.

I place the shredded cheese, extra sour cream, chips, fresh-cut up jalapenos, salsa (and sometimes guacamole) in bowls on the side so everyone can make their chili their way.

Enjoy!

This is so easy, you can make in the morning, and let it sit all day in fridge. You may want to add liquid at some point when you serve. We ate it that night, and then I put in containers for fridge and freezer. I added the rest of the stock before I froze it. Just add back to pot and stir, and then ladle into containers.  Keeps in fridge for at least 3 days. Perfect for freezing, I just take it out of freezer in the morning and by evening it should be defrosted , heat it up and you may need to add some liquid if it is too thick. Those little boxes ( 1 cup size) of broth come in handy here.

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Kitchen Sink White Bean Chili (also my Super Bowl Chili)

Posted on January 11, 2012 | 1 comment

dirty sink from kitchen sink chili

We just got back from two beautiful days in Moab, Utah. We hiked most of the time and the glory and splendor that is there has no words. If you ever have the opportunity to go you should do so. It is an amazing area–Arches National Park, the Canyonlands, the whole area is just breathtaking. We hadn’t had snow here so we went on the road. Now we’re back and today was spectacular! It snowed in Aspen last night and we skied today. So nice to be back skiing. It was Sunday, and the Giants were in the playoffs. Joel set the DVR and we were gone all day. I had taken out a package of chopped turkey and figured that I would pick up a few things and make this chili that I love. I use a lot of stuff from my pantry and substitute ingredients where necessary (it’s a think-on-your-feet kind of recipe!) I served with shredded cheese and chips, and it was heartwarming and delicious.

I also have to add a little note: I cook a lot and usually make a big mess. Joel always cleans up and he is such a good cleaner upper! Our deal is that I do the cooking and he does the cleaning. I might add that this is a very good deal because I am not so fond of cleaning up the mess I make cooking. Obviously, I try to clean as I go, so as to not be a complete pig about it, but he’s really a good sport about it, in general. Anyway, he asked me to post a picture of some of the mess I left him in the sink.

I also make this as one of my dishes for Super Bowl but usually for Super Bowl I do it in the slow cooker so it stays warm for a long time. I just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer away. Tonite I cooked it in my trusty Le Creuset. I often mess around with these ingredients and you can too. For instance, I only had 1 can of White Northern Beans but I had 2 of Pinto so as long as they are white beans it’s okay to use them. I didn’t have Picante sauce in the house, but I had some great salsa, so I used that instead. I made it with turkey but you can use chicken, or eliminate meat altogether and make it vegetarian with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It’s chili, which is not a perfect science by any means; so be flexible with ingredients, but make sure to use proportionate amounts.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (I use green for color but be my guest and switch to whatever you have handy or prefer to use)

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 15 oz. cans of White Northern Beans (or any white bean, such as Pinto), drained

7 oz. salsa or Picante sauce (Newman’s own was in pantry but I found a fresh salsa in fridge so I substitured the fresh salsa) they are both fine, use whatever

1 8 oz. can of diced green chiles (I used 2 cans of 4 oz. hot green chiles)

1 8 oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 lb. can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. Mexican oregano (this is available here in Colorado but may not be everywhere. You can try to find it but if you can’t, regular oregano will have to do…and yes, I know that it looks like pot in my picture.)

Kosher salt to taste (you’ll need a fair amount but salt along the way to your liking, I used a fair amount of salt, but use your own discretion, it’s a big pot of chili

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you have white pepper that works as well in this, because it is White Chili)

3 – 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I start out with 3 and if it is too thick I usually add up to another cup.) I did use 4 at the end, if you’re eating it that night use 3 then before you freeze or refrigerate add another cup to the pot.

12 oz. sour cream (Lite is good. Non-fat is okay, but I don’t love it. Strain first to get rid of that little bit of liquid. You can also use yogurt. Add this ingredient last and blend in well.) Sometimes, I take it out of container and mix it up a bit so it will blend in better.

Shredded cheese (Mexican Style, Jalapeno or Cheddar), for topping. (I let people add this themselves, since some people don’t want the cheese.)

* jalapeno pepper (I love the heat so I dice up a fresh jalapeno, add it to mine, and then leave it in a little bowl for anyone else who may want it.)

Tortilla chips on the side

Directions:

In a large stockpot (my trusty Le Creuset) melt the butter on a medium heat.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. I add the garlic at this point and a little kosher salt.

Puree 1 1/2 cans of the drained beans (Cuisinart food processor is best) until beans are smooth and add to the pot.

Add the rest of the beans, along with the salsa, chiles, corn, tomatoes, and spices (plus anything else you may want to add). Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat,  until the ingredients are blended.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. I then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour on the stove top.

Before you’re ready to serve it, add the sour cream and blend well while simmering.

I place the shredded cheese, extra sour cream, chips, fresh-cut up jalapenos, salsa (and sometimes guacamole) in bowls on the side so everyone can make their chili their way.

Enjoy!

This is so easy, you can make in the morning, and let it sit all day in fridge. You may want to add liquid at some point when you serve. We ate it that night, and then I put in containers for fridge and freezer. I added the rest of the stock before I froze it. Just add back to pot and stir, and then ladle into containers.  Keeps in fridge for at least 3 days. Perfect for freezing, I just take it out of freezer in the morning and by evening it should be defrosted , heat it up and you may need to add some liquid if it is too thick. Those little boxes ( 1 cup size) of broth come in handy here.

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