Chili

I've loved chili ever since I was a kid. It's one of those dishes that brings up tons of recipes whenever I make it.

With that in mind, here are six yummy chili recipes to help you through the day, including Slow Cooker Chili With Ground Beef and Beans and Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili. Enjoy!

VEGAN CHILI

This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.

Ingredients

For the Chile Paste (see Note):

2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)

1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)

1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)

For the Chili:

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond

1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)

Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)

Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.

Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.

Tip

You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.

CHILI CARNIVALE

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings

Source: TBC

Recipe and photo appears courtesy of Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chili-carnivale.

Ingredients

2 pounds Ground Beef (95% lean)

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

1 can (14 to 14-1/2 ounces) regular or reduced-sodium beef broth

1 bottle (12 ounces) regular or light beer

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, diced

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1/3 cup chili powder

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed, drained

Lime wedges and baked tortillas chips (optional)

Toppings:

Sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, sliced serranos or jalapenos, chopped onion

Directions

Heat stockpot over medium heat until hot. Add Ground Beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove drippings.

Add tomatoes, beef broth, beer, onions, bell peppers, tomato paste, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, cumin and oregano to stockpot, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in black beans and continue to simmer 15 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and black pepper, as desired. Garnish with Toppings, as desired. Serve with lime wedges and baked tortilla chips, if desired.

Note: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed Ground Beef. Ground Beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of Ground Beef doneness.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 318; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Fiber: 7.5 g; Sodium: 955 mg; Cholesterol: 76 mg; Protein: 32 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g

SUMMER VEGETABLE CHILI

This is from the Food Network.

Prep Time: 14 minutes; Cook Time: 26 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-vegetable-chili-recipe-2112338.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced

2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and chopped

2 cups frozen corn (preferably fire-roasted), thawed

2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added pinto beans

1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or torn fresh cilantro, for topping (optional)

8 corn tortillas, warmed

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add all but a few tablespoons of the chopped red onion. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano, mushrooms and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 more minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili is thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the chili among bowls. Top with the cheese, sour cream and/or cilantro; sprinkle with the reserved red onion. Serve with the tortillas.

BEEF CHILI

This yummy chili recipe is from Tyler Florence on The Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cooki Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-chili-recipe-1937323.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

1 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 onions, diced

10 garlic cloves, halved

3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1/2 cup masa harina

3 cups shredded white Cheddar, for garnish

2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish

1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish

Ingredients

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary. When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar, chives, and sour cream.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND TURKEY CHILI

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, "This recipe captures many of the traditional flavors of chili, but boosts its texture, color and vitamins. We've used protein-rich black beans, lean ground turkey and sweet butternut squash, as well adding some unexpected crunch and thickening power with chia seeds."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/butternut-squash-and-turkey-chili-3363131.

Ingredients

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound 99 percent fat-free ground turkey

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Kosher salt

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)

4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped

Two 14-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chia seeds

Freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up chunks with the side of a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Push the turkey to the edges of the pan, leaving the middle empty. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, then the onion and garlic to the center of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and coriander and stir about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until the paste begins to darken in color, about 30 seconds. Then add the squash, tomatoes and 4 cups water, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chili has thickened and the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

Stir the beans and chia seeds into the chili and heat through, about 5 minutes. Season with an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, then taste the chili and stir in up to 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Spoon the chili into bowls and top each bowl with cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

SLOW COOKER CHILI WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS

This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, "A slow cooker filled with hearty chili is a perfect meal, and it's a cinch to make. This beef and bean chili recipe could not be easier. It will take only about 15 minutes to prepare in the morning, and it cooks all day so that it will be ready just in time for dinner.

"This chili recipe includes fresh vegetables along with two kinds of beans. While kidney beans are standard in chili, the pork and beans are a bit unusual. It's an interesting twist, and the molasses sauce adds a nice depth of flavor to the tomato-based sauce we love in chili.

"To complete this hearty and delicious meal, serve it with freshly baked cornbread and a simple salad. It's a perfect weeknight meal that the entire family will love."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 8 hours; Total Times: 8 hours 15 minutes; Makes 8 servings

You can view this online at https://www.thespruceeats.com/peggys-chili-with-ground-beef-and-beans-3055038.

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef (browned and drained)

2 medium onions (coarsely chopped)

2 ribs celery (coarsely chopped)

1 green bell pepper (coarsely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

30 ounces red kidney beans (canned, drained)

3 to 4 ounces mushroom pieces (canned, drained)

15 ounces baked pork and beans with molasses (canned)

29 ounces tomatoes

6 ounces tomato paste

2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cumin (ground)

Salt to taste

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the grease.

At the same time, chop the onions, celery, and green bell pepper. Crush the garlic as well.

Add the cooked beef and vegetables to a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker.

Drain the kidney beans and mushrooms and add them to the slow cooker along with the (undrained) pork and beans.

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and all of the seasonings.

Stir well until everything is thoroughly combined.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours. To speed it up, cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.

Creative Ways to Use Leftover Chili

Too much chili? Chili is the ideal dish for leftovers, and it is just as appetizing on the second day as it was on the first. You can also 'repurpose' it into other dishes, so no one gets bored. Depending on the size of your family, you might even get two or three meals out of one slow cooker.

Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and enjoy a second helping for lunch the next day. You may even have enough to make tasty chili dogs for tomorrow night's dinner. Also, consider serving the chili over a bed of freshly cooked spaghetti noodles, it's a specialty of Cincinnati and surprisingly delicious.