Hearty Chili

Everyone is gearing up for Hurricane Sandy around here.  The local schools are closed, some until Tuesday and my office is closed tomorrow!  So what could be better on cold rainy day than a bowl of warm, hearty chili?  This hearty chili is satisfying with chunks of ground beef, vegetables and red kidney beans.  You can quickly put this chili together within an hour for an easy weeknight dinner.  This would also be a perfect game day chili to share with family and friends.  Serve with shredded cheese, green onions, and/or sour cream.  Top with some tortilla chips or corn chips for extra crunch.  Enjoy!

Hearty Chili 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive oil)

1 ½ cup red onion, diced (½ large red onion)

1 cup diced peppers

1 pound ground beef

15 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies

28 ounce crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can red kidney beans

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoons cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

Directions

In a large heavy pan or dutch oven, over medium heat, add in oil and onions.  Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in peppers and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Next, add in ground beef.  Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.  Cook for about 5 minutes until beef is lightly browned.

Stir in diced tomatoes, beans and crushed tomatoes.

Stir in chili powder.

Cover and cook on low for at least 30 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Top with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, and/or sour cream.

Veggie and Beef Chili

I have a great vegetarian chili recipe but wanted to change it up since I was making a batch of chili for my friend who is expecting a baby this month.  Chili is such a versatile dish and its easy to adjust the flavors and ingredients.  This Veggie and Beef Chili is also a very freezer friendly dish.  I allow the chili to cool and place in a freezer bag.  When you are ready to have chili, just defrost in the fridge the night before and reheat the next day.  How simple and easy right?  This is great served on its own, over rice, or with corn bread.  I also love "chili mac", pasta with chili on top, yum!  This Veggie and Beef Chili is one of those dishes that stick to your ribs and won't leave you feeling hungry afterwards.  Enjoy!

Veggie and Beef Chili

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ pound ground beef

2 bell peppers, diced

1 onion, diced

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

11 ounce can Mexicorn

15 ounce can hominy

15.5 ounce can black beans

2 tablespoons  and ½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon and ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add ground beef.  Add in ½ teaspoons cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.  Cook for about 5 minutes until meat is mostly cooked.  Drain fat.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add in vegetable oil, diced bell peppers and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.

Add in diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to vegetables.

Drain and add in black beans, hominy, and mexicorn. 

Add in ground beef.  Stir in remaining chili powder and cumin.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.  Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream (or plain greek yogurt).

You can also freeze this after chili is cooled in freezer bags.

Serves 6 to 8.

Beef and Bean Burritos

I made a batch of Beef and Bean Burritos to freeze for my friend who is expecting a baby at the end of the month.  I have made her a few freezer friendly meals so she doesn't have to spend time cooking when taking care of a newborn baby.   What is so great about making your own burritos is that you know exactly what is going in it.  You can put in your favorite ingredients, so far I have made Breakfast Burritos and Santa Fe Chicken Burritos.  When you freeze these burritos, they will last for a couple months too.  Its great having a quick and easy meal (or snack) on hand.  What I have learned about freezing burritos is to allow the filling to cool to room temperature.  If you freeze a hot burrito, it will not freeze evenly and can alter the texture and taste.  Be sure to wrap each burrito (after cooled) with foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper before putting into a freezer bag.  Definitely use a freezer bag since those are more heavy duty and will protect your food from freezer burn.  Enjoy!

Beef and Bean Burritos

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 to 10 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar.)

3 cups rice plus water

½ onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic)

10 ounce can Rotel diced tomato with lime juice and cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

15.5 ounce can black beans

16 ounce can refried beans (I used fat-free)

½ pound ground beef

¼ cup enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe’s or feel free to use salsa instead)

Directions

Cook rice in a rice cooker - add rice, water, Rotel diced tomato, onion, and garlic.  Allow to cool.

In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add ground beef.  Add in cumin and chili powder.   Stir in enchilada sauce.  Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until meat is cooked through.  Allow to cool.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. (I microwave for 45 seconds covered with a moist paper towel.)

Spoon about 1 tablespoon refried beans down center of tortilla.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons rice down center of tortillas. 

Spoon about 1 tablespoon meat over rice.

Top meat and rice with about 1 tablespoon black beans.

Sprinkle cheese on top.  

Fold tortilla into a burrito.

Repeat for all tortillas.

To freeze, allow burritos to cool if using warmed ingredients.  Wrap each burrito tightly with foil (or plastic wrap).  Place burritos in large freezer bags.  (I label the bag beforehand with what type of burrito and date.)  

To reheat from frozen, remove foil and microwave on high for 3 minutes.  You could also place the foiled burrito in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

My friend Wendy came over for dinner and we made these vegetarian stuffed peppers together.  I was able to use ingredients I had already and it turned out well.  This is a nice change from the usual stuffed peppers with ground beef.   You could also make this vegetarian meal vegan by omitting the cheese.   I think next time I will add a little tomato paste, maybe a tablespoon or two to give it a bolder flavor.  I know traditional stuffed peppers usually have a tomato sauce.  Overall this is a winner and I would gladly make it again.   I served a simple salad to go along with the stuffed peppers too.  Just toss some salad greens, a diced avocado, and a sliced cucumber together with fat-free Italian dressing.  I'm happy I was able to serve Wendy a healthy dinner!

 

 

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 bell peppers

2 cups rice

15 ounce can black beans

11 ounce can Mexicorn (by Green Giant)

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   

Cut peppers in half.  Remove tops and seeds. 

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil.  Arrange halved peppers in the baking dish.

 

In a large bowl, mix together rice, black beans, corn, cheese, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper.

 

Spoon filling into each pepper half.  Top with additional cheese if desired.

Bake 30 minutes.

 

Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.