Cold weather soup series
Winter is cold in Montana. I mean COLD! There are often times in our six months of winter that we are lucky if the temperatures get above 30 degrees for any length of time. In fact, this morning when I walked my son to school, it was 7 degrees out! 7!! The day before that was 4 degrees. As a result, when we do go outside to enjoy the cold and snow, I like to have something cooking in the crock pot that is hot and ready.
I have made this chili for years, and over the years I have tweaked the recipe to perfect it to what it is now. Over the years, I have added more and more ingredients to it. That’s what makes it so hearty! Not only is it a three bean chili, but it is chocked full of veggies. Also when I first started, I didn’t season the meat as much as I do now. I can not stress enough, not to skip that part of this recipe. Season that meat!! I add taco seasoning and a full jar of salsa. That’s right! A full Jar! Of salsa!
I cook mine in in a 6 quart crock pot, but if you don’t have one, you can use a large pot on your stove top and cook it for an hour over medium high heat. Honestly though, it really is best slow cooked all day. You can order a crock pot from Amazon. They have an amazing selection. However, you can cook it any way you want. I once cooked it over an open fire. My family goes up into the mountains every year to cut down Christmas trees and I whipped up a large batch of this chili and cooked it righ there over the fire along side an old tin coffee carafe of hot cocoa.
Alright let’s get started! Here are the ingredients.
First, gather all your ingredients. This may seem like a lot of ingredients, but they are all very inexpensive. I use three different kinds of beans and for the easiness of it, I use canned beans. If you are a bagged bean person-go for it! Also, I use packaged chili seasoning in this batch but if you want to make your own, a good recipe for that is 1 tsp. of each-chili powder, cumin, salt, and 1/4 tsp. of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Start by cutting up all your veggies into small, bite size pieces. I use a full green pepper, a red pepper, three stalks of celery, two cloves of garlic (not pictured) and a whole onion.
Pour a small amount of oil in a pan and saute half the onion, half the garlic, and half the peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add ground beef. Halfway through cooking the meat, add 2 Tbs. of taco seasoning and jar of salsa. DO NOT skip this step. If you don’t season the meat, the chili won’t have as much flavor as you might like. Believe me, this kicks it up a notch!
While the meat is cooking, get the crock pot ready. Add all beans, tomato sauce, and tomatoes…
Next add all veggies-peppers, onions, mushrooms, jalapeños, corn, and celery.
Once all that is mixed together, add tomato paste.
Once everything is in the crock pot, add the cooked meat mixture and two (yes two) packages of chili seasoning. Stir all ingredients together.
Turn on crock pot to low and cook for 6-8 hours. Once done, top with shredded cheese, sour cream and avocados.
Unless you are feeding a large group of people, you will have leftovers. My suggestion for the leftovers it to make a chili casserole. Place tortilla chips or Fritos (my preference) in the bottom of a baking dish, top with chili and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and avocados. Enjoy!
Hearty Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 1 Can Black Beans
- 1 Can Red Kidney Beans
- 1 Can Chili Beans
- 1 Whole Red Pepper
- 1 Whole Green Pepper
- 3 Stalks Celery
- 1 Whole Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Can Corn
- 1 Can Mushrooms -Optional
- 1 4 oz. Can Jalepeno Peppers
- 1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
- 1 29 Oz Can Tomato Sauce
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Jar Your Favorite Salsa
- 2 Packets Chili Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
- 2 Pinches Salt and Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheese -Optional topping
- 1 Cup Sour cream -Optional topping
- 1 Diced Avacodo -Optional topping
Instructions
- Cut up peppers, onion, and celery into small pieces. Chop garlic.
- Add oil to pan and cook half of the onions, half the peppers and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook for 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and salsa. Cook for 5 more minutes or until throughly cooked through.
- While meat is cooking, open all cans. Add beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce to crock pot.
- Add remaining peppers, onion, celery, cans of corn, mushrooms, jalepenos, and tomato paste to crock pot.
- Once meat is cooked, add it to the crock pot. Add both packages of chili seasoning. Stir thoroughly.
- Turn on crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours.
- Optional- Top chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, avacodo
