Classic Slow-Cooker Chili

Here's an uber-classic for your Super Bowl Sunday.

Super easy so you don't have to spend too much time in preparation, something you can walk away from and not worry about. 

Super tasty.

Super customizable. Make it as spicy as you want!

Set up a toppings bar with shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, light sour cream or Greek yogurt, and avocado slices. A little something for everyone!

Whatever you do, don't forget the Fritos scoops. 

Classic Slow-Cooker Chili:

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dried black beans, sorted and rinsed

3/4 cup dried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2-3 cups beef stock or broth

1-2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper

1-2 teaspoons ground red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Layer all ingredients in a large slow-cooker, adding just enough beef broth to make the beans float. I prefer a thick chili and tend to add just about 2 cups of stock. Stir all ingredients to combine and cover. 

Cook on low for 8 hours or on low for 6 hours. After about 4 hours, check the consistency and beans for doneness, adding more stock if necessary.

Grab a bowl and a seat for the game!

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

I'm in total denial that about winter.

Even though I've been happily knitting up a storm for my sweet cousins, friends, strangers on the street. Is Katie cute or what?

Winter is my arch-nemesis and it certainly shouldn't be this cold without snow. Without snow! Seriously, Kansas, give us something prettier to look at than our dry, brown front yards. We need one serious whiteout with snowmen that don't melt for weeks before spring comes. When our snow finally comes, you'll find me under a blanket fort huddling with the cats. And a bowl of this chili.

This is one of my favorite ways to warm up from the inside out. Ok, so its my second favorite. My obsession with marshmallows has not subsided.

Even though I much prefer to spend my time in the hot box of a Kansas summer, this chili is a close substitute in these chilly months. Crank up the jalapenos and you'll have your own personal summer. Go ahead, sweat it out at the dinner table.

Chili when you're chilly, its meant to be. Grab a bag of Fritos scoops while you're at it, just think about the spoons you won't have to wash.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili:

Makes about 8 servings

1 1/2 - 2 pounds bone-in chicken leg quarters, or whatever chicken you have on hand

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced

1 - 1 1/2 cups dry white beans

6 cups water
1-2 Parmesan rinds, optional

salt and pepper to taste

shredded Pepper Jack or Mozzarella cheese to garnish

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in order. If the chicken quarters have the skin on, you can remove the skin before or after the chicken is cooked. Leave the skin on for flavor and skim the fat before serving. 

Cook on high for 6-8 hours, on low for 4-6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken and set aside to cool a bit before boning, leaving the lid off the slow cooker. The bones should slide right out of the meat. Using tongs or your hands, remove any extra fat and shred the meat. 

By this time, a lot of the fat should have risen to the top of the pot, skim the fat with a shallow spoon and discard. If you want to thicken the soup, whisk a 1/4 cup flour or cornstarch into 1 cup of hot broth until smooth and then stir into the soup. Add chicken and serve with a sprinkle of cheese.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Mondays always seem to be the hardest for me. Hardest to get out of bed, to focus all day at work. I just want to crash and dream about how lovely the weekend was and knit myself to sleep.

We all have had our fair share of forgettable Mondays. Sometimes, it would make our day so much better to know there is a delicious, hot meal waiting for us when we get home. Here is a great, flavorful recipe to help you beat the most miserable of Mondays.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Serves 4, makes 8 tacos

1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1-2 cups water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package whole grain tortillas

In the bottom of your slow cooker, layer the ingredients in order. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. To finish in about 6 hours, set to high, for 8 hours set to low. Cover, and let your slow cooker do all the work.

If your taco mixture seems to have too much liquid for your preference, make sure your slow cooker is set to high and remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to thicken. The meat should stay plenty hot while you kick off your shoes and warm up the tortillas. Break up the chicken thighs with a wooden spoon.

Serve with warm tortillas and top with cheddar (or sour cream, or guac, or whatever your taco-loving heart desires).

Experiment with your taco meat -- add tomatoes if you love those, leave out the jalapenos and red pepper if spicy just isn't your thing. Remember, its Monday, you can at least eat what you want. Whatever you do, enjoy an effortless meal knowing Tuesday is that much closer to Friday.

TIP: If you love tacos, but hate the way the drip all over your plate no matter what you do, try propping up one side of your plate with an extra coaster. No one likes a soggy second taco and the hubby is genius for thinking of this.