3000 miles 'til dinner.

‘Tis the season to eat a little healthier and cook a little easier  (slow cooker=crock pot) NOTE: my DIL Marites tried this recipe and I have since made some changes based on her experience, i.e. increased the soaking time for beans, reduced the amount of beer and noted that you can use less fresh chili if you want a milder, less hot chili. It’s never too late to learn!

Soak beans: 8 hours minimum

Prep ingredients:  20 minutes

Slow Cooker time:  High for 6 hours

Servings:  6 hearty bowls

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

2 T. olive oil

1 large onion, cut into chunks

5 large cloves garlic, peeled

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey

1 lb. dried, uncooked small to medium red beans

3 C. boiling water

1- 12 ou. bottles dark ale

1 pint favorite salsa - mild, medium or hot

1 C. tomato sauce or 1/2 C. tomato paste  *add more if you’d like

2 t. dried oregano leaves

1 T. ground cumin

1 T. mild, dark chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 small (or less) fresh hot chili such as serranos or habanero, cut into chunks  *less for a milder chili

2 cinnamon stick or 3/4 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. sea salt

1 t. ground black pepper

♥SOAK BEANS - Rinse beans, checking to make sure there are no little pebbles or debris; place in a heavy pot filled with fresh cold water to 3” above the beans. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat off and allow beans to sit overnight. Drain beans before adding to the slow cooker.

♥PREP INGREDIENTS

In food processor, pulse onions, hot pepper and garlic until fine dice; place in slow cooker pot. Set bowl aside, don’t rinse.

In a heavy skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium fire. Add ground beef, using a wooden spoon to gently break-up the mixture and saute until cooked through. Place the beef in the processor bowl and pulse until it is finely ground (not mushy) OR skip this step, keeping the beef chunky.

Add beef, drained beans and additional ingredients to the crock.

♥ Cooking - High for 6 hours 

♥ Serving - taste and adjust seasonings; add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream or grated cheese and chopped green onions

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*substitute beans: (1) pre-cooked or canned beans & reduce cooking time to 3 hours (2) black, white navy or pinto beans OR any combination 

*substitute salsa: chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro (salsa ingredients)

*substitute serranos:  carefully add “to taste “either hot sauce or cayenne powder

*consider vegetarian chili — no meat or poultry added

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*wear latex gloves when cutting chili or be sure to wash your fingers with lemon or lime when finished

*chili taking too long to cook?  Remove from slow cooker, pour into a heavy bottom pot, cover  and cook on stop top or in 350 degree oven 

*chili can be frozen for 3 months

WHY SOAK BEANS?

(1) soaked beans cook faster or more evenly

(2) soaking helps break down the complex sugars in beans, sugars that are sometimes indigestible, an important step for those who have a more difficult time digesting.  It is believed that a longer soak is better for this process, but believe that to be a personal preference.

MIL post