Chili recipes may be as diverse as the cooks preparing their favourite chili meal.
Some recipes call for a variety of beans, from pork and beans to kidney beans and every bean in between. Mushrooms are a favoured ingredient for some cooks while others tend towards corn and celery and tomatoes.
Other recipes could include bacon bits and ground coffee or brown sugar and beer, or maybe some cinnamon and brown sugar with a dash of hot sauce. Or how about substituting ground moose or deer for the ground beef, or even using chicken instead of the ground beef.
This week’s recipes offer three ideas for a chili meal.
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Simple Chili and Beans
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1-16 oz. can kidney beans
- 1 1/2 quarts tomato juice
- 1 tbsp. beef extract
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 oz. baking chocolate
Saute the hamburger, chopped onions and salt in a large skillet until meat is browned.
Add all other ingredients, stir, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and crackers. Serves 6.
• • •
Mexican Chili
- 3 lbs. hamburger
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3/4 tbsps. cooking fat
- 2-6 oz. cans tomato paste
- 4-6 oz. cans water
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- 8 crushed dried red peppers
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin seed
- 1/2 oz. unsweetened cooking chocolate
Brown the hamburger and onions in the cooking fat.
Add other ingredients and simmer for three hours. Add more water if necessary. Skim oil from top before serving.
Best when served over cooked spaghetti. If eating alone, top with shredded cheese and have sour cream and buns on the side. Serves 8.
• • •
Chicken Chili
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 small can diced tomatoes
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsps. worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps. chili powder
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tsps. apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, finely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 2 green onions, thinly chopped
Place all ingredients, except chicken, corn, cheese and green onions in a large slow cooker and stir to mix. Place chicken breasts over top of mixture and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is tender.
Removed cooked chicken and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker and stir well. Add corn, stir and cook 10-15 minutes until corn is heated through.
Spoon into bowls and top with cheese and green onion. Serves 8.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
