Slow Cooker Taco Chili

Now that it’s freezing here in the South, it’s time for some hearty, comfort food. This spicy taco chili will warm you all the way down to your toes. Ok, not really to your toes, but you know what I mean.

Here’s what you need:

ground beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, cumin, ground Chipotle chili peppers (if you want this less spicy, you can omit this), salt, kidney beans ( I prefer the light kidney beans, but you can use dark. Either works well.), black beans, petite diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chilies, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. I know what you’re thinking…..what ranch dressing mix?

This one here.

I didn’t realize until after that the packet of ranch dressing was not in the picture. I know what else you are probably thinking…..ranch dressing mix in chili?? No, I haven’t gone around the bend. I have tasted taco soup with this as an ingredient, and it was really good, so I thought why not put it into my taco chili.

Heat a pan to medium high heat. Add a little oil if needed.

Place ground beef in the pan.

Brown then drain if needed.

Throw in the onions….

then the garlic and salt.

Next add the taco seasoning and cumin. You can use a packet of taco seasoning, but I like to make my own. It’s very easy.

Just add 1Tbs. chili powder, 1 Tbs. onion powder, 1Tbs. garlic powder, 1 Tbs. dried oregano, 1Tbs. paprika and 1/2 tsp. cumin.

Mix it all together.

Then add the ground Chipotle chili pepper. I start out with 1/2 tsp then add more later if needed

.

Next sprinkle in the ranch dressing mix…..you can do it. It’s a good thing.

Reduce the heat to medium, Stir all ingredients together and continue cooking about 1 minute more, stirring often so the spices do not burn.

Place the beef mixture into the slow cooker.

Add kidney and black beans, both drained.

Then add both cans of tomatoes.

Mix together. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Taco Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground Chipotle chili peppers and more to taste
1 tsp. salt and more to taste
taco seasoning (recipe follows)
1 packet of ranch dressing mix.
1 can of light or dark kidney beans, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained

Taco Seasoning:
1Tbs. Chili powder
1Tbs. onion powder
1Tbs. garlic powder
1Tbs. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix together.

Directions:

Heat a pan to medium high heat. Add a little oil if needed. Brown beef, drain if needed. Add onions, garlic, salt, ground Chipotle chili peppers, cumin, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Reduce the heat to medium, Stir all ingredients together and continue cooking about 1 minute more, stiring often so the spices do not burn.

Place the beef mixture into the slow cooker. Add kidney, black beans, and both cans of tomatoes. Mix together. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Chili and Beans

My husband and I have this intense debate when it comes to chili. Should chili have beans or not. To me, being the Southern gal that I am, there are two kinds of chili…the chili that goes on top of a hot dog ( us Southerners have an unwritten law:there should be no beans in hot dog chili) and then you have…well…chili with beans. The kind that’s cooked long and slow. My husband, being the Yankee that he is, debates that chili should always have beans. Of course, he had never had hot dog chili until he moved down South. So, the debate continues. That being said, now that it’s getting warmer here in the South we were in the mood for one last hearty, stick to your ribs chili….with beans.

First off, grab a cast iron skillet or any other large skillet that you may have, and heat on medium high heat. Drizzle a little oil in the bottom of the pan.

Throw in some ground beef…about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. 

Cook until beef turns brown…not grey. Drain if needed.

Turn heat down to medium. Add 1 Tbs of chili powder…mild or hot whichever you prefer. 

Then add about 1 tsp. salt,1 tsp. of dried Thyme, 2 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. Cumin. 1 tsp. Cajun spice, and one minced garlic clove.

Stir well and cook for about 1 minute more. Place beef in a slow cooker.

chop 1 onion

Throw that into the slow cooker as well.

Next add 2 cans of diced tomatoes.

1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce.

2 cans of light kidney beans; drained. I prefer the light, but you can use dark kidney beans as well.

I’m not much of a bean eater, so when I started actually eating the beans in the chili, my parents were shocked…I think they even shed a tear or two. When I was a kid, I would pick out the beans. So, then of course, they were left with a pot of beans with a little beef and tomatoes. It could have been worse. I could have been one of those kids that hid them under a napkin or fed them to our dog….now that probably would not have gone well, feeding them to the dog.

Next add more chili powder, oregano, cumin and Thyme if needed. I like my chili with a lot of spice so I always end up adding more.

 Add 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder and 1 Tbs paprika.

Stir well.

Add 1 bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve topped with cheese or sour cream…or just eat it plain..either way it’s all good.

Enjoy!

Chili and Beans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef
1 Tbs of chili powder plus more to taste.
1 tsp. salt plus more to taste.
1tsp. of dried Thyme plus more to taste
2 tsp. dried oregano plus more to taste
1 tsp. Cumin plus more to taste.
1tsp. Cajun spice
one minced garlic clove
1 onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can of tomato sauce
2 cans light kidney beans; drained
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1Tbs paprika
bay leaf

Directions:

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add oil and brown ground beef; drain if needed. Reduce heat to medium, add chili powder, salt, Thyme, Oregano, Cumin, Cajun spice and garlic. Stir well and cook about 1 minute. Place beef into a slow cooker. Next add onion, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Add more chili powder, Thyme, Oregano and Cumin if needed. Stir well; add bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Serve topped with cheese or sour cream

Tomato Dill Soup

Yesterday was downright chilly. We even got to see a few snow flakes. But it was the kind of flurry event where if you blinked, you missed it. After running around doing errands in the cold, I was craving soup. So, after looking around in the pantry to see what I had on hand, I came up with this: Tomato Dill Soup.

What You will Need:

Can of crushed tomatoes, an onion, 2 garlic cloves,chicken stock (homemade or in a box), tomato paste, flour. dried dill weed, a bay leaf, sugar, salt and evaporated milk or heavy cream.

chop a small onion.

In a large pot, add some olive oil. Throw in the onions.

Cook over med. heat until onions are soft and start to turn brown.

Using a hand grater, grate in the garlic. You can mince the garlic, but in some dishes, such as this, I like using a hand grater because there are no clumps or pieces of garlic in the food. It seems to blend better. 

Add flour to the onions. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, stirring often.

Pour in chicken stock. 

Add tomato paste. Stir until all of the tomato paste has mixed in with the stock. Pour in crushed tomatoes.

Add dill weed, bay leaf, sugar and salt (if needed). Stir to mix well.

Cover and cook over med. low for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Remove from heat, discard bay leaf. There will be a few small chunks of tomatoes floating around in there. If you like a smooth soup, use an emulsion blender or a food processor.

I was in the mood for chunky so I skipped this step. 

Pour in evaporated milk or heavy cream, stir and serve.

Enjoy!

Tomato Dill Soup

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, grated or minced

2 tsp. flour

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups crushed tomatoes

2tsp. dill weed or more to taste

1 bay leaf

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. sugar, depending on taste.

salt to taste if needed

1/2 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream

Directions:

In a large pot, add olive oil. Over med heat, saute onions until soft and start to turn brown. Add garlic and flour. Cook for 1 minute stirring often.

Pour in chicken stock. Add tomato paste Stir until all of the tomato paste has mixed in with the stock. Add crushed tomatoes, dill, bay leaf sugar and salt if needed. Stir well. Cover and cook on med. low for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Stir in milk or heavy cream. Serve.