PONY'TUDE Gets Cooking - Momma K's Chili
By popular demand, I'm going to be posting some easy, delicious, healthy recipes here on the blog! So you're aware of what you're getting into, I'll first say that the food I like to cook is first and foremost, real food. I make things from scratch with fresh meats and veggies, and also do a lot of vegetarian cooking since I just happen to like it. I don't use "Cream of Crap" soup in anything. Ever. It's against my religion. You will not find a whole lot of pre-made mixes or frozen meals in my house, and I live by the ideal that if you can make it better yourself, don't buy it pre-processed!
On to the FOOD!
First up on the menu is my mom's classic chili recipe. It's hearty, delicious, filling, and full of good stuff. If you're not into beef, you can always swap it for turkey, or remove the meat entirely and add more beans to make it a vegetarian meal. This chili also freezes VERY well, so you can double or triple the recipe and stock up your freezer for later. Here we go!
Momma K's Chili
1.5 lbs Ground Beef
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
3 T Chili Powder
1 Can Red Kidney Beans, drained
3 T Tomato Paste
1 1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Cumin
1/2 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 28 oz Can Tomato Puree
1 12 oz Can (or Bottle) Beer
2 T Molasses
Chop up the onion and peppers, and add them to a large pot. My favorite for soups and stews like this is my trusty Dutch oven! If you don't like huge chunks, cut the veggies smaller. If you do, cut them big! Whatever works for you. I won't judge.
Add the ground meat and minced garlic to the pot, and cook on high heat until the meat is cooked through and all of the juices from the veggies have evaporated. Smash that stuff up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Sprinkle the salt, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes over the meat & veggie mixture, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Your house now smells amazing.
Next, add all of the liquid ingredients - Tomato puree & paste, beer, molasses, and don't forget that can of beans!
Bring the entire pot to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover it, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions... whatever makes your little heart happy!
On to the FOOD!
First up on the menu is my mom's classic chili recipe. It's hearty, delicious, filling, and full of good stuff. If you're not into beef, you can always swap it for turkey, or remove the meat entirely and add more beans to make it a vegetarian meal. This chili also freezes VERY well, so you can double or triple the recipe and stock up your freezer for later. Here we go!
Momma K's Chili
1.5 lbs Ground Beef
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
3 T Chili Powder
1 Can Red Kidney Beans, drained
3 T Tomato Paste
1 1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Cumin
1/2 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 28 oz Can Tomato Puree
1 12 oz Can (or Bottle) Beer
2 T Molasses
Chop up the onion and peppers, and add them to a large pot. My favorite for soups and stews like this is my trusty Dutch oven! If you don't like huge chunks, cut the veggies smaller. If you do, cut them big! Whatever works for you. I won't judge.
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| Please don't judge my horrifyingly messy kitchen counter |
Add the ground meat and minced garlic to the pot, and cook on high heat until the meat is cooked through and all of the juices from the veggies have evaporated. Smash that stuff up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
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| COLORS! Look how pretty! |
Sprinkle the salt, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes over the meat & veggie mixture, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Your house now smells amazing.
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| Things are starting to get hot and steamy... |
Next, add all of the liquid ingredients - Tomato puree & paste, beer, molasses, and don't forget that can of beans!
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| YES those are the wrong kind of beans - so sue me. This recipe is flexible. |
Bring the entire pot to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover it, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions... whatever makes your little heart happy!
 |
| YUM. |
This sounds delicious! I made chili the other day, I will share my recipe too, it can be a chili cook off blog style!
ReplyDeleteOooh yes that would be so fun!! I have so many recipes in mind now that I decided to start sharing my love of food!
DeleteI can't wait to see what else you put up! I also love food, made creamy cauliflower soup last night from scratch, so yummy!
DeleteYummmm! I made venison chili the other day--nothing better for a cold, snowy day!
ReplyDeleteThis looks wicked! I am not a chili eater but I may have to try this. Thank you
ReplyDeletePREACH ALLI! Cream comes out of a COW not a CAN!!
ReplyDeleteOh and one suggestion from a fellow food lover -- you should try using real, dried chilies sometime in place of the chili powder. They are usually pretty cheap (I buy them in bulk at my local whole-foods-hippie-ish-store-but-not-a-chain and they're like 60c each or less). You can just chuck them in while it's simmering and either blend them in or take them out at the end. They add such a delicious, smoky, multi-dimensional flavour when you do!!
DeleteI KNOW, RIGHT?! How hard is it to whisk some butter, flour, and milk together COME ON NOW. Ohhh GOOD CALL on the dried chiles! I will definitely try that!
DeleteThat looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteaaaaaaaand now i'm hungry lol :D
ReplyDelete