Crockpot Chili

I am a beginner cook.  I am sure most of you have realized this.

I am fascinated by all of these cooking blogs that I follow because each one makes me feel like I know even less about preparing a meal.  (See my Friday Five Foodie Finds for recipes I drool over weekly.)  I’ve become mesmerized by food photography and cooking from scratch.  And realizing I will never be able to fully cook from scratch.  Or be a totally healthy food maker.  You’d think that would discourage me, however it makes me want to improve and broaden my horizons.

All of this to say that I had a few cooking firsts the other day, of which I am quite proud. 

I made chili for the first time in my entire life.

It seems like a basic dish, however I’ve yet to attempt it because for some reason it seems to daunting.  Everyone has their own “perfect” recipe.  How could I compete?

Well for my fellow novice chefs out there, chili is pretty easy.  Especially when you get to throw all of the ingredients in a crockpot and let it stew for 8 hours while it fills your house with savory auromatic top notes.

Semi-healthy notes about chili:

• Good source of protein
• You can pack it with veggies and fiber rich beans
• Spicy foods have been shown to boost metabolism

I found a recipe called “Homemade Chili” (original right?) from a book called The $7 a Meal Cookbook. 

I got out the crockpot for the first time at the Daddio’s.  I always feel bad for all of my cooking and baking products taking up so much room in a house intended for one person so I’ve kept this red beauty in the cupboard until now.

I start to get out my ingredients for this chili I am so excited to make when I realize…I’ve never chopped an onion before.  Sure, I’ve seen Meryl Streep (as Julia Child) chopping a heap of onions on Julie and Julia and I watch the Food Network and I’m sure one of my family members chops onions in the kitchen at family gatherings…but I have never attempted it myself.

I didn’t want to cry, so of course I googled “how to chop onions without crying” and found this: http://www.wikihow.com/Chop-Onions-Without-Tears. I ended up putting the onion in the freezer for a few minutes, and then chopped it under a the stove hood with the fan on high.  I was also wearing glasses..not sure if this helped?

Success!  No tears, but I did crown myself messiest cook…I was walking on a heap of onions by the end.

I whipped up this recipe and felt hungry all day as I was home doing homework.  I think crockpot recipes are for those leaving the house for this very reason…

Crockpot Chili {Print}
Adapted from the $7 a Meal Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic (I used the jar kind…haven’t tackled garlic yet)
• 1/2 cup yellow and red peppers, chopped
• 1 15 oz can chili beans in chili sauce
• 1 14 oz can Huntz fireroasted diced tomatos
• 1 6 oz Huntz tomato paste
• 1 can steam crisp southwestern style corn
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 TBS chili powder
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup water + 2 TBS cornstarch
• ~red pepper flakes if you like it spicy~

How to:

1. Brown turkey with onions and garlic.  Drain well.
2. Combine with remaining ingredients-EXCEPT for cornstarch and 1/4 cup water-in a crockpot.  (At least 3 1/2 quart.)
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Combine starch with 1/4 cup cold water.  Add to chili and turn crockpot to high for 15-20 minutes.
5. Serve with fritos and shredded cheddar-jack cheese.

This was also my first time working with cornstarch…I felt like a real chef adding a thickening ingredient to my chili.

The BF said I should keep this on my list of regular meals…so I’d say we have a winner!

Stud muffin

You can add the leftover chili to easy-mac if you are as obsessed with it as I am.  It is in fact the perfect post windy/cold/fast/long run meal imaginable.  Excuse me while I devour this heaping bowl.

Have a lovely week everyone!

Discussion:
What are things that make you nervous in the kitchen?

Do you have the “perfect” chili recipe?

Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset

Also linked to: Mad Skills Party
Market Yourself Monday
Just Something I Whipped Up
What’s in the Gunny Sack
Makin You Crave Monday