Sunday, February 7, 2010

Spicy Chili: an experiment

If you’ve read any of my recipe posts before, you know I’m not one to use proper measurements. It may surprise you to know that I didn’t even pack a measuring cup or measuring spoon in our camper. I know some of you just cringed reading this and are at this moment writing me off as a lunatic. Let me assure you that there is a method to my madness. I have adapted my own type of measuring things. I’ll save that explanation for another day but in my defense, if you’ve ever been invited to our home for a meal, or if you’ve been a recipient of a meal prepared by yours truly, you’ll know that I am a good cook, at least that’s what I’ve been told on several occasions. Notice I did not say a good baker, there is something to be said for using measurements when baking. Okay, moving on…

We may not have the snow that excited much of the Mid-Atlantic but we have had another drop in temperatures which means, it’s a perfect day for a big pot of chili!

I made this same recipe last week when I discovered I’d forgotten to purchase tomato juice and didn’t have any other option for dinner. So I experimented a bit to find out what would happen if I used a few other ingredients in my cupboard instead, like the salsa. It was certainly yummy so if you care to give my directions a chance, follow along:

I use a large crock pot and let it simmer all day, but you could use a pot on the stove and adjust the ingredients accordingly.

4 cans of light red kidney beans
2 cans of dark red kidney beans
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of tomato sauce
A good sprinkling of Chili powder (probably 2-4 tbsp, I use a lot!)
Jar of mild salsa
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning

Dump first six ingredients into the crock pot. Cook chicken thoroughly on the stove, drain if needed and add taco seasoning. Mix. Add chicken to crock pot. Cook on low 4-6 hours. Instead of serving our chili with crackers, we added Corn Chips and shredded cheese. Yummy!

What do you add to your chili to spice it up?

1 comment:

  1. This sounds like a great recipe. I LOVE my crockpot and use it every chance I get. I know lots cooks who say they don't measure. I do about half the time. I do know that you absolutely MUST use the proper measurements in baking. I learned that the hard way a long time ago!

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing what you think! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Blessings!:)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...