Beef - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with beef, and includes Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chili, Korean Barbecue-Style Meatballs, and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

CHEF JOHN'S SALISBURY STEAK

This is from Chef John at All Recipes. He wrote, "When I was a kid, we didn't have smartphones or the internet, all we had was a TV. But we didn't care because as we watched, we got to enjoy a little something called a "TV dinner." The king of those dinners, in my opinion, was the Salisbury steak, which is what I'll show you how to make here, along with one of the greatest gravies ever invented. Serve with buttered mashed potatoes and a vegetable side of your choice.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Additional Time: 2 hours; Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/280901/chef-johns-salisbury-steak/.

Ingredients

For the Steaks:

1 pound 85% lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 large egg, beaten

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

For the Gravy:

2 tablespoons salted butter

12 large white button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup diced onion

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 cups high-quality, low-sodium beef broth

salt to taste

2 tablespoons salted butter

Directions

Combine beef, black pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, egg, cayenne, and bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Use a fork or your hands to stir the ingredients until very evenly distributed.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to overnight.

While the meat is resting, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick pan over high heat; add mushrooms, onions, and a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until very nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add flour. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth; increase heat to high. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens slightly and reduces, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Transfer to a glass measuring cup, scraping the pan clean with a spatula, and reserve.

Remove meat from the refrigerator and divide into 4 equal portions. Moisten hands and form into oval patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides of the patties lightly with salt.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the previously used nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pour in gravy and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until gravy is piping hot, and the meat is just cooked through and springs back lightly when touched, about 5 minutes.

Chef's Notes:

You can use the meat mixture immediately rather than wrapping and refrigerating.

You can make the meatballs round or in any shape you like.

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH BUTTERMILK MEATLOAF

This is from John Mitzewich who wrote for The Spruce Eats. He wrote, "This easy meatloaf recipe sure lives up to its name. The buttermilk works its tangy magic to make this meatloaf tender, moist, and delicious. A glossy brown sugar glaze finishes off the meatloaf and is a perfect complement to the flavorful ingredients like onion, garlic, tarragon, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce that make it into the mixture. Enjoy this winning meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans for a complete meal."

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/buttermilk-meatloaf-recipe-101521.

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion (minced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 1/2 pounds ground beef

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs (beaten)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 cup breadcrumbs (plain)

For the Glaze:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this meatloaf dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for cooking.

Make the Meatloaf:

Gather the ingredients.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until translucent.

Remove from the heat, stir in the garlic, and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, the onion and garlic mixture, and all of the remaining meatloaf ingredients. Gently mix to incorporate.

Lightly grease the bottom of a shallow roasting pan with a few drops of oil.

Wet your hands with cold water and form the meatloaf mixture into a loaf shape, about 6 inches wide by about 3 to 4 inches high.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Make the Glaze:

Gather the ingredients.

While the meatloaf is baking, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and evenly spread the glaze over the top with a spoon. If you like, you can put a little of the glaze on the sides, but most of it should go on the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes more. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center to make sure the meatloaf is done; it should reach at least 160 F.

Serve and enjoy.

30-MINUTE CHILI WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS

This comes from Diana Rattray, a southern food cook on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This ground beef chili is hearty and delicious, and it takes only 30 minutes from start to finish! Don't feel overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, many are suggested toppings.

“The ground beef is quickly browned, then it is combined with a spice mixture, beans, and tomatoes for a quick and easy meal for a busy day. It's also easy on the budget.

“Make a pan of cornbread to go with the chili, along with a salad or slaw, or serve it with hot cooked rice and warm tortillas.

“If you're making this for a party game day gathering, offer several toppings with the chili and add a bowl of tortilla chips to the menu. The recipe is easily doubled.”

Total Time: 30 mins; PrepTime: 5 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Yield: 6 Servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Seasoning Mix:

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons onion (dried minced)

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (at least 85% lean)

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with mild green chile peppers*

1 can/8 ounces tomato sauce

1 can/15 to 16 ounces black beans (undrained)

salt to taste

Optional: shredded cheddar, cheddar-jack, or a Mexican blend of cheeses

For Toppings (optional):

sour cream

green onion (chopped)

red onion (chopped)

lettuce (shredded)

cilantro

guacamole

tomatoes (diced)

Directions

In a small bowl or cup, combine the chili powder with the dried minced onion, cumin, oregano, sugar, garlic powder, and the black and cayenne peppers. Blend well and set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, turning and breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.

Drain the ground beef well. Return the beef to the pan over medium heat. Add the chili seasoning mix and stir to blend.

Add the 2 cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and undrained black beans. Stir to blend ingredients.

Bring the chili to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Taste and add salt, as needed.

Serve with a Tex-Mex cornbread or classic Southern cornbread, biscuits, crackers, or tortilla chips, along with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.

Tip

If you don't have diced tomatoes with chile peppers, use regular diced tomatoes and add mild green chile peppers. Or, use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chunky mild to medium salsa in place of the second can of tomatoes.

KOREAN BARBECUE-STYLE MEATBALLS

This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85 percent lean meat, 15 percent fat, or 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019763-korean-barbecue-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)

1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and starts off, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.” Serves: 6; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix

3 Tbsp. water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomato slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillett over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

Chili - Double-Post Monday

Besides beging Meatless Monday, i's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with chili and includes Hearty Turkey Chili and Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chili. Enjoy!

BEEF AND BEAN CHILI

This comes from WW (formerly Weight Watchers), and begins, "Perfect for a party! Just leave the chili pot over low heat and offer a variety of toppings on the side to garnish in whatever way suits your style: fresh cilantro leaves, sliced scallions, reduced-fat sour cream, low-fat shredded Cheddar, sliced black olives and chopped fresh jalapeños. You can also serve this chili over rice, a bed of shredded cabbage, or cauliflower rice if you wish. Or make use as you would taco meat in a wrap: Just spoon it on a tortilla or in an iceberg lettuce leaf using a slotted spoon. Top with your choice of toppings and fold it or roll it to enjoy with no utensils required.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Serves: 8; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 sprays cooking spray

1 pound uncooked lean trimmed sirloin beef, ground

2 tsp Olive oil

1 medium uncooked onion, diced

2 ribs uncooked celery, medium, diced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 small Jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced**

2 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp table sale

1/2 tsp (or more to taste) red pepper flakes

28 oz canned crushed tomatoes

1 cup canned reduced-sodium beef broth

8 oz canned tomato sauce

30 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup uncooked shallots, chopped

Instructions

Coat a large stockpot with cooking spray; set it over medium-high heat. Add the beef; cook until it's browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Remove the beef from the pot; set aside.

Add oil to the pot; set over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion, celery, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved beef, chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and red pepper flakes; stir to coat the vegetables and the beef with spices.

Add the tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. To serve, discard the bay leaves, ladle the chili into bowls, and top with chopped shallots.

Serving Size: about 1 heaping cup.

Notes

To avoid skin irritation, do not touch seeds with bare hands.

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

TEXAS CHILI

One of my dad’s recipes. Note: Actually, it is the one he said he found in the airline magazine. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.

A funny anecdote: Dad had been involved in Civil Defense when we lived in New York. He had a friend who was also in C.D. who swore that since he'd grown up in New Mexico, he could eat anything spicy hot without it bothering him; in fact, the hotter it was, the better he liked it.

One evening, Larry and his wife came to dinner. Dad had invited them, fixing up a batch of this chili, along with the milder batch. Larry was served the hot stuff. Next time Dad went to a C.D. meeting, he overheard Larry state, "I can eat anything hot - except John S's chili!" Be forewarned!

Ingredients

3 balls ground beef suet

4 slices bacon, cut up

2 lbs. stew beef, cut small

2 lbs. chopped chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bernudea onions, chopped

1 T paprika

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne

6-9 T chili powder

2-4 walnut-size pieces suet

1 can beef broth

1 tsp. oregano

3 cans measured water

3/4 tsp. cumin

6 C tomatoes & juice

1 2/3 T salt

1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans

Directions

In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.

QUICK AND EASY CHILI

I first had this at my former in-laws' house. It is about as quick and simple as you can get. It took me a while to warm up to this chili, after eating Dad's Texas Chili. No matter; my younger two love it, and I've grown to like it.

Note:The beans were pretty much required for this recipe. I usually don't push certain brands, and I suppose that other cans of chili beans could be used. But when I fix their dad's/paternal grandparents' chili, I use the beans listed. I've also added the oil to this, but this was not an original part of the recipe.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 pound ground beef

4 cans Ranch Style beans

1 can tomato soup

Chili powder, to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef in oil. Add beans, soup, and chili powder. Stir, heat, eat.

HEARTY TURKEY CHILI

This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy

1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)

1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)

1/2 c. chili sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.

Add meat to slow cooker.

Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.

Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.

CHEF'S NOTES:

If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!

30-MINUTE CHILI WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS

This comes from Diana Rattray, a southern food cook on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This ground beef chili is hearty and delicious, and it takes only 30 minutes from start to finish! Don't feel overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, many are suggested toppings.

“The ground beef is quickly browned, then it is combined with a spice mixture, beans, and tomatoes for a quick and easy meal for a busy day. It's also easy on the budget.

“Make a pan of cornbread to go with the chili, along with a salad or slaw, or serve it with hot cooked rice and warm tortillas.

“If you're making this for a party game day gathering, offer several toppings with the chili and add a bowl of tortilla chips to the menu. The recipe is easily doubled.”

Total Time: 30 mins; PrepTime: 5 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Yield: 6 Servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Seasoning Mix:

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons onion (dried minced)

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (at least 85% lean)

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with mild green chile peppers*

1 can/8 ounces tomato sauce

1 can/15 to 16 ounces black beans (undrained)

salt to taste

Optional: shredded cheddar, cheddar-jack, or a Mexican blend of cheeses

For Toppings (optional):

sour cream

green onion (chopped)

red onion (chopped)

lettuce (shredded)

cilantro

guacamole

tomatoes (diced)

Directions

In a small bowl or cup, combine the chili powder with the dried minced onion, cumin, oregano, sugar, garlic powder, and the black and cayenne peppers. Blend well and set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, turning and breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.

Drain the ground beef well. Return the beef to the pan over medium heat. Add the chili seasoning mix and stir to blend.

Add the 2 cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and undrained black beans. Stir to blend ingredients.

Bring the chili to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Taste and add salt, as needed.

Serve with a Tex-Mex cornbread or classic Southern cornbread, biscuits, crackers, or tortilla chips, along with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.

Tip

If you don't have diced tomatoes with chile peppers, use regular diced tomatoes and add mild green chile peppers. Or, use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chunky mild to medium salsa in place of the second can of tomatoes.

Chili

When it's chilly out - or outright cold - is there anything better to warm one up that a pot of homemade chili? If you love chili as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Check out Quick and Easy Chili, the diabetic-friendly Texas Red Chili, or any of the other yummy chili recipes here. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

TEXAS RED CHILI

Servings: 8

Source: Family Circle's "All-time Favorite Recipes"

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/90.shtml

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 beef brisket (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

3 jalapeno chiles, halved, seeded and finely, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 can (13-3/4 ounces) beef broth

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes

1 bottle (12 ounces) beer

1 bay leaf

Lime wedges for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute brisket until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, jalapenos and garlic to drippings in pot; cook over medium-low heat until onion is very tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper; cook 1 minute.

Return meat to pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, beer and bay leaf. Heat to boiling. Lower heat; simmer with cover slightly ajar until meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. For last 20 minutes, uncover to thicken chili.

To serve, ladle chili into bowls. Garnish each bowl with lime wedge.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 334; Protein: 30 g; Fat: 17 g; Sodium: 712 mg; Cholesterol: 84 mg; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch; 4 Medium-Fat Meat

TEXAS CHILI

One of my dad’s recipes. Note: Actually, it is the one he said he found in the airline magazine. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.

A funny anecdote: Dad had been involved in Civil Defense when we lived in New York. He had a friend who was also in C.D. who swore that since he'd grown up in New Mexico, he could eat anything spicy hot without it bothering him; in fact, the hotter it was, the better he liked it.

One evening, Larry and his wife came to dinner. Dad had invited them, fixing up a batch of this chili, along with the milder batch. Larry was served the hot stuff. Next time Dad went to a C.D. meeting, he overheard Larry state, "I can eat anything hot - except John S's chili!" Be forewarned!

Ingredients

3 balls ground beef suet

4 slices bacon, cut up

2 lbs. stew beef, cut small

2 lbs. chopped chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bernudea onions, chopped

1 T paprika

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne

6-9 T chili powder

2-4 walnut-size pieces suet

1 can beef broth

1 tsp. oregano

3 cans measured water

3/4 tsp. cumin

6 C tomatoes & juice

1 2/3 T salt

1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans

Directions

In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.

QUICK AND EASY CHILI

I first had this at my former in-laws' house. It is about as quick and simple as you can get. It took me a while to warm up to this chili, after eating Dad's Texas Chili. No matter; my younger two love it, and I've grown to like it.

Note:The beans were pretty much required for this recipe. I usually don't push certain brands, and I suppose that other cans of chili beans could be used. But when I fix their dad's/paternal grandparents' chili, I use the beans listed. I've also added the oil to this, but this was not an original part of the recipe.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 pound ground beef

4 cans Ranch Style beans

1 can tomato soup

Chili powder, to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef in oil. Add beans, soup, and chili powder. Stir, heat, eat.

TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

This is from Juila Moskin in The New York Times cooking email. Julia wrote, “Calling a dish ‘Texas Chili,’ especially if you’re not a native of that state, is clearly asking for trouble. But this recipe, refined over years of potlucks and Super Bowl parties, is too good to keep under wraps. Its depth of flavor, from different chile types, makes this recipe stand out. It also has whole spices, unsweetened chocolate and dark beer that meld seamlessly into a brick-red sauce that naps the succulent meat. The meat can be cut into large chunks, or, more traditionally, thin slices, especially if you are using a tougher cut than chuck. Sirloin also makes good chili. If you have masa harina, the corn flour used to make tortillas, that will make the gravy even thicker, but it is not necessary. Like many vigorously spiced dishes, this one tastes even better a day or two after it is made and will hold its flavor well for at least a week.”

Yield: 12 servings; Time: 2 hours.

This was featured in “Texas Chili Makes a Welcome Guest” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

4 pounds beef chuck roast or steak

1 teaspoon salt, more to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed

1 large yellow or white onion, chopped, plus extra chopped onion for serving

6 large garlic cloves, minced

4 to 7 large fresh green jalapeños (depending on how much heat you like), stemmed, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons masa harina or 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces (optional)

2 tablespoons ground pure chile powder, such as pasilla, Chimayo or ancho

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 (12-ounce) bottle Negra Modelo beer

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, or 3 10-ounce cans Ro-Tel canned tomatoes with green chiles

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

3 whole dried large red chiles, such as New Mexico or guajillo

Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Fritos or warmed flour tortillas, for serving

Preparation

In a small heavy skillet, toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. In a mortar and pestle, or in a coffee grinder, grind to a powder and set aside.

Meanwhile, roughly cut beef into 2-inch cubes, or slice it against the grain into pieces about 1/4-inch thick by 1 1/2 inches square. Sprinkle with salt.

In a large, heavy pot over high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the meat, turning occasionally until crusty. Adjust heat to prevent scorching. As it is cooked, remove the meat to drain on paper towels. Add more oil as needed for browning, but do not clean out the pot.

To the empty but crusty pot, add onion, garlic, jalapeños, masa harina or tortilla (if using), chile powder, cumin-coriander powder and oregano. Cook, stirring, until onion has softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add meat, beer, tomatoes, chocolate, whole dried chiles and 1 quart water. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork-tender. Remove the dried chiles. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate. The chili tastes best one or two days after it is made.

Reheat over low heat if necessary and serve in bowls, sprinkled with chopped onion and cilantro. Add Fritos for crunch, or dip tortillas into the spicy gravy.

HEARTY TURKEY CHILI

This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy

1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)

1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)

1/2 c. chili sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.

Add meat to slow cooker.

Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.

Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.

CHEF'S NOTES:

If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!

Chili

Now that it's after Labor Day, and the weather should start cooling off soon (we hope!), it's time to start thinking of autumn and winter-y foods. That includes chili.

I have so many good memories that deal with chili. Here's hoping one of today's offerings become one of your good-memory recipes. Will it be Hearty Turkey Chili? How about the Chipotle Chili Non-Carne? Whichever chili recipe you decide to try, just remember to Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Texas-style chili is a bean-free stew that’s usually made with chunks of slow-cooked beef. Here, eggplant stands in for meat in the traditional thick, spicy sauce. Serve with chopped green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, and corn chips." Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/texas-style-chili/.

Ingredients

3 mulato or pasilla dried chiles

2 costeno dried chiles

1 cascabel dried chile

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 15-oz. can whole tomatoes

1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. light brown sugar or 1 tsp. molasses, optional

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

4 medium Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 Tbs. masa harina

Preparation

Place dried chiles in medium bowl, and cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Let stand 20 minutes, or until soft, pushing chiles under water occasionally. Let liquid cool until chiles are easy to handle.

Remove tough stems and seeds from rehydrated chiles, using soaking liquid to rinse away seeds. Coarsely chop chiles, and strain liquid to remove seeds. Set aside.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sear 1 to 2 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add chiles with soaking liquid, tomatoes with juice, chili powder, brown sugar (if using), cumin, oregano, and 4 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove pot from heat, and blend chiles and vegetables with immersion blender until smooth. Stir in eggplant chunks, then cover pot, and simmer 30 minutes over medium heat, or until eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in masa harina, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

CHIPOTLE CHILI NON-CARNE

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "This spicy chili really warms the bones on a cold evening. Chipotle powder is made from smoked jalapeño peppers. Look for it in specialty gourmet stores. To make the chili milder, omit the chipotle powder and reduce the chili powder to two teaspoons. MEAL PLAN: Delicious with cornbread. Add a tossed green salad with low-fat bottled cilantro dressing."

Makes 6 servings; Time: 30 minutes or less

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/chipotle-chili-non-carne/.

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder or to taste

1 Tbs. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

3 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes

Preparation

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and corn and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Stir in chipotle powder, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute. Stir in beans, tomatoes and 3/4 cup water.

Reduce heat, partially cover pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. If chili becomes too thick, add 1/4 cup hot water. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, sprinkle chili with shredded cheese before serving.

TURKEY CHILI VERDE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

Source: Honeysuckle White

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

Ingredients

1 package (about 1 pound) Honeysuckle White Turkey Breast Tenderloins

1 pound tomatillos

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Optional: Corn or flour tortillas (not included in nutritional information)

Directions

Cut turkey into 1/2-inch cubes.

Remove papery husks from tomatillos; rinse tomatillos in hot water and cut into quarters.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add turkey; cook about 5 minutes or until it turns white.

With slotted spoon, transfer turkey to large saucepan.

Add bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and garlic to same skillet; season with salt and pepper.

Cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables start to soften.

Add vegetables and tomatillos to saucepan with turkey; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat about 30 minutes or until turkey is tender. If there is too much liquid, uncover and simmer until liquid has cooked down.

Add cilantro; serve with rice, corn or flour tortillas, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 240; Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 60 mg; Cholesterol: 70 mg; Protein: 30 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sugars: 6 g

BIG GAME CHILIL

This comes from Bush's® Best, and begins, "Your friends will become big fans of this hearty chili recipe made with two types of Bush's® Chili Beans. Garnish with chopped green onions and sour cream for added flavor. These recipes were created with our gluten-free friends in mind."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Makes 10 cups

To view this online, go to https://www.bushbeans.com/en_US/bean-recipes/big-game-chili.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp oregano

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can (16 oz) Bush's® Chili Beans

1 can (16 oz) Bush's® Dark Red Kidney Beans

Garnish

Chopped green onion

Sour cream

Directions

In large pan, cook beef, onion, and green pepper until meat is browned. Drain excess grease.

Stir in remaining ingredients, except green onion and sour cream.

Bring to boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Garnish with green onion and dollop of sour cream.

HEARTY TURKEY CHILI

This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy

1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)

1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)

1/2 c. chili sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.

Add meat to slow cooker.

Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.

Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.

CHEF'S NOTES:

If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!

Chili

For years, I've loved chili for a variety of reasons: I've loved the way it tastes, the differnt layers of textures, and the fact that my dad loved chili and could cook up a mean pot of the stuff.

Dad

Anyway, here are six yummy chili recipes for you to try, including Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chili and Two Bean Chili. Enjoy!

TEXAS CHILI

This is one of my dad’s recipes. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: one pot for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler. (Hint: This is the hot version for those brave souls.) When Dad was with Civil Defense (back during the early 1960s), a friend of his was overheard at a CD meeting said he could eat anything hot, as he'd grown up in New Mexico, eating hot food. Then, he tried Dad's chili. The next meeting, he mentioned, "I can eat anything hot...except John's chili!" You've been warned.

This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

3 balls ground beef suet

4 slices bacon, cut

2 lbs. stew beef, cut small

2 lbs. chopped chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T paprika

1 tsp. oregano

3/4 tsp. cumin

1 2/3 T salt

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne

6 – 9 T chili powder

2 – 4 walnut-size pieces suet

2 Bermuda onions

1 can beef broth

3 cans measured water

6 C tomatoes & juice

1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans

Directions

In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add stew beef and chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover and simmer slowly 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.

SUPER-EASY SLOW-COOKER THREE-BEAN CHILI

This comes from WW (Weight Watchers), and begins, "This chili recipe makes enough to serve ten people. Using almost entirely canned items, you can have a filling, flavorful warm dish. And don't let the total cook time scare you: The majority of that time is for the ingredients to boil down. For a huge chunk of that time, you just have to monitor it. If you don't have 10 people to enjoy this with, you can meal-prep it for the week, or use the leftovers to fill tacos or a burrito."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 3 hours; Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes; Serves: 10; Difficulty: Easy

To view this yumminess online, go to https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/recipe/super-easy-slow-cooker-three-bean-chili/5626a63b2084d63a3401c10f.

Ingredients

1 large uncooked onion, minced

Garlic clove, 1 medium clove, minced

30 oz Canned black beans, rinsed and drained

30 oz Canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

30 oz Canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained

29 oz Canned diced tomatoes with chilies

15 oz Canned tomato sauce

Spiced seasoning mix, 1 1/4 oz, chili variety

Frozen corn kernels, 14 oz, thawed

Fresh lime juice, 1 Tbsp, or to taste

Cilantro, 1/2 cup(s), fresh, chopped

Directions

Combine onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours (or low heat for 4-6 hours). Add frozen corn during last hour of cooking. Stir in lime juice and cilantro just before serving.

Serving size: about 1 1/3 cups

TWO BEAN CHILI

Recipe Yield: Yield: Makes about 7 cups (7 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/two-bean-chili.

Ingredients

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons canola, corn, or olive oil

One 14-15 ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice

1 can or bottle beer (12 ounces)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or 1 tablespoon hot salsa or picante sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

One 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

Directions

Saute the onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, the beer, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salt (if desired).

Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Stir in the beans and green pepper; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes longer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 173; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 238 mg; Protein: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable

TEXAS RED CHILI

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

Source: Family Circle's "All-time Favorite Recipes"

Book Title: Family Circle's "All-time Favorite Recipes"

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

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 beef brisket (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

3 jalapeno chiles, halved, seeded and finely, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 can (13-3/4 ounces) beef broth

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes

1 bottle (12 ounces) beer

1 bay leaf

Lime wedges for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute brisket until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, jalapenos and garlic to drippings in pot; cook over medium-low heat until onion is very tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper; cook 1 minute. Return meat to pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, beer and bay leaf. Heat to boiling. Lower heat; simmer with cover slightly ajar until meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. For last 20 minutes, uncover to thicken chili.

To serve, ladle chili into bowls. Garnish each bowl with lime wedge.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 334; Fat: 17 g; Sodium: 712 mg; Cholesterol: 84 mg; Protein: 30 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch; 4 Medium-Fat Meat

SIMPLE, PERFECT CHILI

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network. Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-chili-recipe-2107099

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

2 cloves garlic, chopped

One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup masa harina

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Shredded Cheddar, for serving

Chopped onions, for serving

Tortilla chips, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.

After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

Wednesday

Here we are, half-way through the week. If we made it this far, we can make it to the weekend, right?

To help you through the day, here are six yummy recipes to check out, including Lasagna and BLT Ranch Quesadillas. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

BEEF STROGANOFF

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "Forget what you think you remember about this putatively Russian dish, which saw its zenith in American kitchens during the 1950s and its nadir in school cafeterias two decades later. Beef stroganoff makes for an outstanding dinner: a vat of tender sautéed meat in a silken gravy studded with caramelized mushrooms, alongside a huge tangle of buttered noodles. Be careful when adding the cream at the end: Sour cream easily curdles in the heat, while crème fraîche or heavy cream offer smoother results."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "How Cooking Dinner Can Change Your Life," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020862-beef-stroganoff.

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sirloin roast, or beef tenderloin, if you’re feeling fancy

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

12 ounces wide egg noodles

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cut the beef against the grain into 1/2-inch slices, pound lightly, then cut those slices into 1-inch-wide strips.

Add the flour, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to a large shallow bowl and toss to combine. Dredge the strips of meat in the flour mixture, shake them to remove excess flour, then transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet.

Place a large skillet over high heat and swirl in the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, sauté the beef slices, in two batches, until they are well browned on both sides but rare inside, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared meat to the baking sheet. Turn the heat down slightly.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. When it has melted and started to foam, add the mushrooms, toss to coat them with the fat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are a deep, dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. About halfway into the process, add the sliced shallots and 1 tablespoon butter and stir to combine.

While the mushrooms cook, add the noodles to the boiling water, and cook until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles, and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.

When the mushrooms and shallots are soft and caramelized, deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping at all the stuck-on bits on the pan’s surface. When the wine has reduced by about half, slowly stir in the cream, followed by the Worcestershire and mustard. Add the meat, along with any accumulated juices, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dish is hot and the beef is medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasonings.

Serve the noodles under or alongside the stroganoff; sprinkle stroganoff with parsley.

SLOW-COOKER SHORT-RIB GOULASH

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Meltingly tender meaty dishes like this one are made for cold nights. And while this would make a perfect Sunday supper, it’s actual possible any night of the week, thanks to your slow cooker! That’s right, this recipe truly benefits from cooking all day. Beef short-ribs are extremely flavorful, but to experience the full depth of their savoriness, you need time. Time, plus a prep technique we consider key to making the best possible slow-cooker meats: browning. Browning the short ribs, onions and garlic and deglazing the pan might sound cumbersome, but it’s actually quite efficient, since the deglazing leaves you with a clean pan, and more importantly, the whole process amounts to next-level flavor. Flavor so dynamite, we think this recipe is destined to become a part of your cold-weather dinner rotation!"

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 bone-in beef short ribs (4 inches thick each), English cut (about 4 lb)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

2 cups Progresso™ beef flavored broth

1/4 cup Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Directions

Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

In shallow pan, stir together flour, salt and pepper. Coat all sides of short ribs in flour mixture. Reserve any remaining flour mixture.

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add 4 short ribs; cook 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Transfer ribs to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining 4 short ribs.

Reduce heat to medium; add onions to same skillet with drippings. Cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add paprika, smoked paprika, red pepper and remaining flour mixture; cook and stir 1 minute. Beat in broth and tomato paste with whisk. Heat to boiling, scraping any browned bits on bottom of skillet. Remove from heat; carefully pour broth mixture over short ribs in slow cooker.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until ribs are fall-apart tender. Transfer short ribs to serving platter. Spoon off any fat from sauce in slow cooker. Stir sauce; pour over ribs, and garnish with parsley. Serve with sour cream and egg noodles, if desired.

Expert Tips

Short ribs typically come in one of two forms, English cut or flanken. With the English cut, the ribs are cut parallel to the bone, with one bone per thick piece of short rib. They tend to hold their shape even after a long braise and make an impressive presentation. With the flanken cut, ribs are cut across the bone into 1/2-inch or so slices. Each piece has three to four short sections of bone with a generous portion of meat around them. The cooked ribs should fall off the bone in tender pieces. This recipe calls for English-cut short ribs. Look for ribs that are all about 3- to 4-inches thick. Ribs of different thicknesses will not cook in the same amount of time.

Beef short ribs contain lots of fat and connective tissue, which adds loads of beefy flavor and makes them ideal for this recipe. The extra-long cook time allows the connective tissue to break down and turn meltingly tender.

If you thought paprika was only for adding a sprinkle of color to the top of your potato salad or deviled eggs, think again—paprika has flavor. In fact, more than one. Sweet paprika has a mild red pepper flavor. Hot paprika adds some heat to that flavor and smoked paprika adds a smoky undertone.

Short ribs release a lot of fat during the long cooking process. After you remove the cooked ribs from the slow cooker, it’s easy to skim that fat off using a large spoon or ladle. To make this process extra easy, make the dish the day before, transfer ribs to a baking dish and sauce to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, the fat will have hardened and removing it will be a simple matter of skimming it off with a spoon. To reheat ribs, place meaty side down in a 5-quart Dutch oven with sauce; cover, and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through—20 to 25 minutes.

LASAGNA

This comes from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, "In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.

"'If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.'"

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 4 hours

This was featured in "The Noodle and I: A Face-Off at the Oven", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium red onions, finely diced

2 large cloves minced garlic

8 ounces pancetta, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian

2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 pound ground sirloin

1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano

2 eggs

10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried

2 large whole cloves garlic

1/2 cup flour

1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet

For the lasagna:

1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese

2 extra-large eggs

2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 pound mozzarella, grated

16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria

Preparation

For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.

Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.

In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

HOMEMADE GRILLED VEGGIE BURGER

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Making a grilled veggie burger from scratch used to produce a crumbly mess. But thanks to the smart use of chickpeas and other healthy binders like mushrooms and black beans, these veggie burgers bring a whole new level of delicious awesomeness."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Makes 3 - 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-grilled-veggie-burger-recipe/.

Ingredients

8-oz pack baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

5 cloves garlic

Olive oil (for coating veggies and basting burgers)

1 cup chickpeas

1 1/2 cups black beans

2 eggs

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sriracha

2 Tbsp BBQ sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup almond flour (more may be needed for consistency)

Burgers

Burger buns

Cheddar cheese Lettuce Tomatoes Mustard Mayo Pickles

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Mustard

Mayo

Pickles

Special Equipment

Food Processor

Preparation

Preheat your grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Before you make the patties, you must first dehydrate excess moisture from the veggies so the burgers will keep their shape.

Place mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, and garlic cloves in a grill basket. Coat with some olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside.

Punch a couple of small holes in the bottom of a foil pan, then fill it with your chickpeas and black beans. The holes will allow excess water to drain from the veggies while roasting. Set aside.

Before placing veggies on the grill, toss some hickory wood chips on the coals.

Place the grill basket and foil pan on the grill, and roast them with the lid closed for about 30 minutes. Stir them about halfway through the cook.

Once roasted, remove veggies from the grill and allow them to cool. You can extinguish the grill if you’re roasting the vegetables well ahead of time, or you can let it cruise while you prepare your patties if you’re doing this recipe in one go.

Once cooled, pour the veggies from the grill basket into a food processor. Add eggs, soy sauce, sriracha, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, and the mixture of cornstarch and water, then blend until fairly smooth.

Add chickpeas, black beans, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs to the food processor. Lightly pulse a few times in the food processor — you want the beans in your burger mix to maintain some varying texture, so don’t fully purée as in the above step.

Pour burger mix into a bowl, gradually incorporating a little bit of almond flour at a time. Aim for a consistency that’s thick enough to form a patty that’ll hold its shape.

Once your mixture can be easily formed into burgers, sprinkle a light layer of flour onto a dish. Create 3–4 patties and place them on the floured dish to prevent sticking.

Brush olive oil on top of the patties. This will be the side that hits the grill first. The olive oil will help the patties receive some color and easily release from the grates.

Place patties in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before grilling. This will help them keep their form when they hit the grill.

Preheat your grill to 350 degrees, adding more charcoal if necessary.

Brush the grill grates with olive oil just before placing your patties on the grill.

Grill the veggie burgers for about 6–8 minutes a side, until crisp and golden brown on each side. Keep the grill lid down during the cook, lifting it only to baste the top side of your burgers with olive oil before flipping them. OPTIONAL: After flipping, baste the top of the burgers with a bit of melted butter.

Melt slices of cheese over the patties before removing them from the grill. Adding cheese during the final minute of the cook should get the job done.

Plate and serve the burgers with your toppings of choice, and enjoy!

BLT RANCH QUESADILLAS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Now you can enjoy your favorite BLT sandwich as a quesadilla! The Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch sauce makes this one extra delicious!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/blt-ranch-quesadillas.

Ingredients

4 Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas for burritos, 8 inch (from 11-oz package)

1 1/3 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon

3/4 cup chopped baby spinach

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch sauce

Preparation

On one half of each tortilla, spread 1/3 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons bacon and 2 tablespoons spinach; fold tortilla over filling.

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet at a time. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until tortilla is golden brown and crisp and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.

Top quesadillas with remaining spinach and tomato; drizzle with sauce. To serve, cut into wedges.

Expert Tips

Use fresh pico de gallo in place of tomato to add a bit of additional flavor and heat.

After cooking each quesadilla, cover it to keep it warm while you cook the remaining quesadillas. When cooking second batch of quesadillas, watch tortillas carefully since skillet will already be hot.

Cheddar and Mexican 4 cheese are great substitutes for the Monterey Jack.

Serve the sauce alongside the quesadillas for dipping rather than drizzling on top, if desired.

Chili - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with one of my favorites, chili, and includes Hearty Turkey Chili and Texas Chili. Enjoy!

30-MINUTE CHILI WITH GROUND BEEF AND BEANS

This comes from Diana Rattray, a southern food cook on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “This ground beef chili is hearty and delicious, and it takes only 30 minutes from start to finish! Don't feel overwhelmed by the list of ingredients, many are suggested toppings.

“The ground beef is quickly browned, then it is combined with a spice mixture, beans, and tomatoes for a quick and easy meal for a busy day. It's also easy on the budget.

“Make a pan of cornbread to go with the chili, along with a salad or slaw, or serve it with hot cooked rice and warm tortillas.

“If you're making this for a party game day gathering, offer several toppings with the chili and add a bowl of tortilla chips to the menu. The recipe is easily doubled.”

Total Time: 30 mins; PrepTime: 5 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Yield: 6 Servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Seasoning Mix:

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons onion (dried minced)

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (at least 85% lean)

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes

1 can/14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with mild green chile peppers*

1 can/8 ounces tomato sauce

1 can/15 to 16 ounces black beans (undrained)

salt to taste

Optional: shredded cheddar, cheddar-jack, or a Mexican blend of cheeses

For Toppings (optional):

sour cream

green onion (chopped)

red onion (chopped)

lettuce (shredded)

cilantro

guacamole

tomatoes (diced)

Directions

In a small bowl or cup, combine the chili powder with the dried minced onion, cumin, oregano, sugar, garlic powder, and the black and cayenne peppers. Blend well and set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, turning and breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.

Drain the ground beef well. Return the beef to the pan over medium heat. Add the chili seasoning mix and stir to blend.

Add the 2 cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and undrained black beans. Stir to blend ingredients.

Bring the chili to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Taste and add salt, as needed.

Serve with a Tex-Mex cornbread or classic Southern cornbread, biscuits, crackers, or tortilla chips, along with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.

Tip

If you don't have diced tomatoes with chile peppers, use regular diced tomatoes and add mild green chile peppers. Or, use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chunky mild to medium salsa in place of the second can of tomatoes.

HEARTY TURKEY CHILI

This comes from GE Appliances and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2-15oz. cans chili-ready beans in chili gravy

1-12oz bottle beer (can use non-alcoholic)

1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (chili ready)

1/2 c. chili sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

In a large saucepan, brown turkey and onion over medium/high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender.

Add meat to slow cooker.

Stir in undrained beans, beer, undrained tomatoes, chili sauce, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and garlic salt.

Cook in slow cooker on low for 4 hours.

CHEF'S NOTES:

If you are in a hurry, you can add the ingredients to a Dutch oven, cover and cook on stovetop over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Flavors will not develop as fully, but dinner is done much quicker!

CAULDRON OF CHILI WITH SPIDER BREAD

My son and I were both on several long-forgotten emailing recipe lists. This is one of the recipes my son passed along from one of those lists.

Source: Target Recipes

Serves: 8; Hands-On Time: 40 Minutes; Total Time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onions

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can spicy chili beans, undrained

1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained

1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated breadsticks

4 small pimento-stuffed olives, sliced

1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onions over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes stirring frequently until beef is thoroughly cooked. Drain.

Stir in tomatoes, chili, beans and corn; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make an X shape using two pieces of dough. Pinch and twist the center where they meet to create a ball-shaped spider head.

Place on baking sheet, spreading legs of X shape out from the spider body. Use scissors to cut the dough creating four more legs. Attach dough to body and splay all eight legs. Place 2 olive slices on each for eyes.

Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Top individual serving of chili with cheese and serve with warm spider breads.

EASY GROUND BEEF CHILI

This is another chili recipe from Diana Rattray, from The Spruce Eats. For this one, Diana wrote, “This hearty beef and bean chili is a comforting dish that will warm you up on cold fall and winter days.

“We can thank Texas for introducing the rest of us to this fabulous dish. The typical Texas chili does not include beans, but there are many variations with kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans. It's the complex blend of ingredients that makes the best chili. You'll find this all-American dish in cans, on restaurant menus ("chili joints"), served on hot dogs or hamburgers, and used as a pasta sauce.

“Browned ground beef provides most of the protein, while vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and seasonings unite for a spicy and delicious long-simmered dish.

“The dish is versatile as well. The amount of jalapeno pepper can be adjusted up or down, depending on your heat tolerance. Unless it's labeled hot or spicy, most chili powders are fairly mild. For a spicier chili, taste and add some extra cayenne pepper. Some shredded carrots will add some natural sweetness to the chili, and they can easily be "hidden" in the chili for those picky kids.

“Condiments are another way to personalize your chili. Serve the chili with little dishes of shredded or grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, lime wedges, diced onions, pickled jalapeno rings, avocado wedges or guacamole, or chopped cilantro. A fresh tossed green salad or homemade coleslaw can round out a chili meal nicely.

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/easy-ground-beef-chili-3053290.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1 large onion (chopped)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)

2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 clove garlic (large, minced)

1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced)

1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes (diced, with juices)

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (15-ounce) can beans (e.g., chili beans, small red beans, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the ground beef into the skillet and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.

Add chili powder, minced garlic, jalapeno pepper, tomatoes and tomato sauce, cumin, marjoram, and thyme. Stir to blend and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low; simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Pour the canned beans into a colander; rinse and drain well. Add the beans to the chili and heat through.

For serving, consider freshly baked cornbread or cornbread muffins.

Tip

Serve with saltines or fresh cornbread. Tex-Mex cornbread or no-knead jalapeño and cheese bread would be fantastic with this chili, or bake a pan of buttermilk biscuits to serve on the side.

SLOW COOKER SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

This recipe is from Kellie Hemmerly on TODAY’s, and begins, “This Sweet and Spicy Chili is made in the slow cooker for deep, concentrated flavor. The BEST chili recipe around, I use a secret ingredient to create a sweet-tart background to this slightly spicy recipe.”

Kellie’s website, The Suburban Soapbox, looks pretty cool; I recommend checking it out!

Anyway, to view this recipe online, click here.

Servings: 1 cup; Yield: 10-12 servings; Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 4 hr

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (I used 80-20)

1 large onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (remove the seeds and veins for less heat...leave them for more heat)

1/4 cup chili powder

3 tablespoons ground cumin

3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

6 ounce jar of chopped sweet peppers and juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 - 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 - 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no longer pink and transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons of fat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions over med-high heat until they begin to soften. Add the peppers to the onions and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers, cooking for one minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sweet peppers and juice to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Add the brown sugar, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes stirring thoroughly to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, we love greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, and pickled jalapenos...just to name a few.

TEXAS CHILI

One of my dad’s recipes. Note: Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.

Dad had been involved in Civil Defense when we lived in New York. He had a friend who was also in C.D. who swore that since he'd grown up in New Mexico, he could eat anything spicy hot without it bothering him; in fact, the hotter it was, the better he liked it.

One evening, Larry and his wife came to dinner. Dad had invited them, fixing up a batch of this chili, along with the milder batch. Larry was served the hot stuff. Next time Dad went to a C.D. meeting, he overheard Larry state, "I can eat anything hot - except John S's chili!" Be forewarned!

3 balls ground beef suet

4 slices bacon, cut up

2 lbs. stew beef, cut small

2 lbs. chopped chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bermuda onions, chopped

1 T paprika

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne

6-9 T chili powder

2-4 walnut-size pieces suet

1 can beef broth

1 tsp. oregano

3 cans measured water

3/4 tsp. cumin

6 C tomatoes & juice

1 2/3 T salt

1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans

In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.