Low and Slow

As I mentioned the other day, Autumn is quickly approaching and our schedule is getting more and more preparatory. And since I'm a crazy planner, I'm already making a million lists. One of those lists is a list of foods I'm going to stick in the freezer next month to make our lives a little easier.

Since chili is one of my favorite foods, and the quintessential fall dish, you know it's on my list of foods to freeze. And it freezes beautifully, like most soups and stews. I went back through the blog to find an easy crockpot chili to make my life even easier. Because that way I can put it up separately from dinner and have even more to place in the freezer. Or put it up while I'm at work. OR if I'm really ambitious, put it up after a midnight feeding and have dinner ready to go for that night. Really, a crockpot chili is an indispensable recipe to have in your arsenal.

While I have a fabulous recipe for crockpot chili, it's been ages since I've made it. I wanted to mess with the recipe a bit, playing with the spices to make it a little heartier for freezing, which sometimes dilutes flavor. Adobo is one of my favorite tricks for this, and adding tomatoes with green chiles also helps kick it up a bit. And of course, a boat load of garlic is pretty much required.

Crockpot Chili
1 lb ground beef
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp adobo sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Saute peppers and onions until tender. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Place mixture in crockpot.
   
2. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the beef in the crockpot.
3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.