Shortcut Slow Cooker Chili

My pregnant sister was dying for some chili, so I invited her and our younger sister over for dinner. That meant 2 extra mouths to feed (3 if you count preggers) than what I'm used to. So, I wanted a recipe that would be really, really easy and very fast to whip up. Enter this chili.

I thought this chili turned out amazing, it had so many great flavors. It came out thick, with just the right amount of juices. The recipe itself is not too spicy, so I added some extra chili powder to give it a little more kick.

We enjoyed it with Sweet Honey Cornbread. Alexis and I ate it by taking a spoon of cornbread and scooping up the chili on top of it. Very yummy! I also like to eat mine topped with crushed saltine crackers. And, of course, it's good with shredded cheddar.

The best thing about this recipe is how quick and easy it is. You pretty much just throw everything into the slow cooker and forget about it. Nothing is better than coming home from a long day to the wonderful smell of chili ready to be eaten. :)

Shortcut Slow Cooker Chili-

(Adapted from Cookography)

2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey

1 package thick cut bacon

2 Tbsp. oil

2 medium onions, diced
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced - about 2 Tbsp.
¼ cup chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2-15oz. cans pinto beans, drained
1-15oz. can red kidney beans, drained
1-28oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1-28oz. can tomato puree
Salt to taste

Cook ground beef until brown. Thoroughly cook bacon. Transfer both cooked meats to a slow cooker.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Add diced onions, bell pepper, and celery, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are slightly tender. Add to slow cooker, along with all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt.

Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 6-7 hours.


Tips:
   *Line your slow cooker with a slow cooker liner for easy clean up.
   *For a really thick chili, you can add about ½ cup crushed saltine crackers.
   *For a thinner chili refrain from draining the beans.

Yumm :)