Slow Cooker Chili Cheeseburger Soup

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I had a great weekend! I always do when it’s sunny and cool outside. I washed up my favorite blankie, comfy robe, and fluffy slippers, all ready to settle in for the evening, strike a match to light that fire that I had set weeks ago, and sip on a dirty martini, while watching my favorite British mystery show on TV. But, I did need something to follow up that martini. I wanted something warm and comforting, super tasty, with no work involved whatsoever. That was a bit of a tall order, but I came close. This does involve browning ground chuck, chopping onions and garlic, but that’s it, and the rewards are plentiful. The flavor of this soup is magnificent! It is hearty and wonderful, and can be topped with croutons, chopped pickles or tomatoes, crumbled bacon, anything you see fit. This is a must try!

Slow Cooker Chili Cheeseburger Soup

¼ t. Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 10-oz. can Rotel Mild diced tomatoes, undrained

1 14.5-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 of a 15-oz. can Wolf Brand Chili, no beans*

⅓ c. brewed, strong coffee

½ t. chili powder

½ t. cumin

1 lb. Velveeta Cheese, cubed**

In a 10-inch sauté pan brown the ground chuck, breaking up as you do; season with Montreal Steak Seasoning. When the meat is suitably browned, stir in onions and garlic, and simmer until onions are transparent. Drain fat on a paper towel-lined plate, and place in the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

*Or your favorite brand. The remaining chili can be frozen until you decide to make the soup again, and you will, trust me on that.

** If you don’t like Velveeta, substitute with an 8-ounce brick of cream cheese (not low-fat), and 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.

 

 

 

 

It Ain’t Gourmet Tamale Chili Casserole

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I remember when my boys were little and I had to get dinner on the table. It had to be something that I could get to them in the quickest amount of time possible, that my picky then husband would like, that the boys would like, and that was reasonably nutritious, and by reasonable, I mean by the widest definition of that word. I didn’t have time to browse cookbooks, or flip through magazines, or involve myself in tedious activities like pounding meat between two slices of waxed paper, or cutting vegetables into even julienne. I had to have a trough of something at the ready.

Remembering those days, and attempting to make up for today’s lack of culinary preparedness, I furiously ransacked my pantry, and found a can of tamales, and a can of chili, don’t ask me what they were doing there. I remember years ago, and I’m talking back in the 80s, when tamale casserole was all the rage, so I went back in time for a revisit. I assembled it from what I could remember, popped it into the oven, and when it was ready, I dug right in. I’ll tell you what, this is delicious! It was so satisfying and yummy, that I could hear myself making sounds one might hear from a pig looking for truffles. As I alluded to in the title, it isn’t fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but it is REALLY good.

It Ain’t Gourmet Tamale Chili Casserole

1 15-oz. can chili no beans
1 15-oz. can beef tamales
1 small Melissa’s shallot, chopped fine
1 2.25-oz. can chopped black olives
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Crushed corn chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. In an 11” x 7” baking dish, spread half of the chili evenly on the bottom. Remove paper from tamales and place them on top of the chili. Sprinkle with shallot, black olives, corn, and cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately topped with crushed corn chips, guacamole, sour cream, additional cheese, or whatever you happen to like.

Black and White and Red-Eye Chili

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When the temperatures dip into the 40s, and I find myself stacking logs in the fireplace, I know that chili season is upon us. Every year, I try to come up with something new, and this year, feeling a bit of whimsy, I came up with a title before I came up with the recipe. Everything, in my opinion, can be improved with the addition of coffee, hence the red-eye reference in the name, and this version of chili uses both black beans and white kidney beans (cannellini). I doubled up on the amount​​ of meat that I generally use, and this was a real winner. I served it with my favorite cornbread, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the meal. 

Black & White & Red-Eye Chili

2 lb. ground chuck

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, chopped

1 c. diced Melissa’s Fire Roasted Red Bell Peppers

1 clove Melissa’s elephant garlic, minced

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained

1½ c. strong, brewed coffee

1 tsp. beef soup base

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. adobo

Place the beef in a skillet and cook over medium heat evenly brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

 

Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a good stir and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high 5-6.

Cornbread Biscotti

I like biscotti, and I make biscotti, but I had never tasted a savory version before. Have you? That’s why, when I saw this recipe on the Taste of Home website, I knew that I had to try it. There were a number of reasons for this, other than simple curiosity. I don’t like to start my day with sweet, but I do like to start my day with convenience, and this seemed the perfect accompaniment to my morning cup of coffee, and I was right. Further, with this being soup season (and soup season is really year-around for me), these seemed like a wonderful accompaniment alongside a cup or bowl of soup, when crusty bread, a homemade roll, or half sandwich isn’t readily available. Right again!

I’m sure there are a lot of ways in which to consume these, dipped into chili is sounding good right about now, and I imagine two of them crisscrossed atop a fresh salad would make quite a nice addition, but they are equally as good just plain (although they are mighty tasty with herb cream cheese, or a dollop of marmalade). Why not try something new this year?

Cornbread Biscotti

2 8.5-oz. pkgs. Jiffy Cornbread Mix

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 large eggs, divided

¼ cup cold whole buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

In the work bowl of a food processor, place cornbread mix, ¾ cup cheese, pepper, and thyme; process until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse 5 to 6 times until mixture is crumbly.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and cold buttermilk. With processor running, add egg mixture in a slow, steady stream just until moistened. (Batter will be thick.)

Using lightly greased hands, spread dough into a 12” x 4” rectangle on prepared pan. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg, and brush over dough. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Bake until lightly golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Place slices cut side down on pan. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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If this is too avant garde for you, you will love this more traditional version with a hint of the tropics, Caribbean Corn Bread.

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Easy Slow Cooker Chili

Today is what my dad would call a grim day. It is overcast, and rainy, and while the temperature isn't all that low (52° F), the humidity is high, giving the day a damp, bone-chilling feel. On days like today, warm and soothing comfort food is in order, particularly so when I am still grumpy from having to set all of the clocks back.

Chili sounded so good to me that I decided to throw some in the crockpot early this morning and let it slow cook all day. Because, when I buy onions and peppers, I dice them and bag them and put them in the freezer, aside from browning the beef, this was pretty much a measure and dump recipe. It’s a hearty main dish on its own, but positively delectable when a lot of toppings are piled on, and super yummy with a side of corn bread.

Easy Slow Cooker Chili

1 pound ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained

½ cup chopped parsley

1 cup water

½ cup red wine

1 tsp. beef soup base

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place the beef in a skillet and cook over medium heat evenly brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a good stir and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high 5-6.

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Polly Bergen’s Chili is another family fave.

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Callier's Seasoned Beef Chili

This recipe, a specially requested recipe from a local establishment, in this case, Callier's Home Plate Deli in Ballwin, MO, appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch a couple of weeks ago, and can be found here. It appealed to me on a number of levels. First of all, I love chili!  Secondly, I am always intrigued by recipes that contain unusual ingredients, and by unusual, I don't mean things like urchin or eel, but an item that usually isn't found in a particular dish. I find that I am always pleasantly surprised by the strange combination. Take for example Chicken with Blackberry-Mustard Cream Sauce. Delicious. (You're welcome, Emma.) Or Glazed Grape Meatloaf. (Glad that you enjoyed it, Bill). Or the exceptionally easy, always tasty, juicy, and delicious Root Beer Pulled Pork. So, somehow, I knew that this chili recipe with its double whammy of cocoa and cola would be good. It was. While it may just look like an ordinary bowl of chili, the depth of flavor that both cola and cocoa give to this dish is something that must be tried in order to be fully understood. What are you waiting for?!

Callier's Seasoned Beef Chili

From Callier’s Home Plate Deli

1½ pounds 80/20 ground beef

10 tablespoons finely chopped onion

7 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper

12 ounces cola

5 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

3½ teaspoons granulated garlic

3½ teaspoons ground cumin

3 ½ teaspoons salt

1¾ teaspoon chili powder

1¾ teaspoon coriander

1¾ teaspoon black pepper

Scant 1 teaspoon cayenne

9 ounces canned tomato paste

14½ ounces canned diced tomatoes

30 ounces canned dark kidney beans, liquid drained

3 2/3 cups water

Grated cheddar or chopped onions, optional

In a large, heavy pot, brown ground beef on medium-high heat, breaking it up as the meat browns. Add onion and green pepper, cook until softened.  Deglaze pot with cola, stirring to collect the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.  Stir in cocoa powder, garlic, cumin, salt, chili powder, coriander, black pepper, cayenne and tomato paste; bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, beans and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a simmer; let simmer for 45 minutes. Like many soups, this is best made a day or 2 ahead.

To serve Callier’s Home Plate Deli-style, serve in bowls with oyster crackers and grated cheddar and/or chopped onions on top.

Notes: For less heat while still retaining the chili’s rich spices, reduce the black pepper and cayenne.

Yield: 11 (1-cup) servings

Recipe adapted for home kitchens by the Post-Dispatch.

CALLIER’S HOME PLATE DELI

14787 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO

636-394-2080

 This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

Marvelous Mondays

Inspire Me Tuesday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesday
What’s In The Kitchen 
Work It Wednesday
Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Chili Dog Casserole

 

When either of my sons come to do some work for me, I always grease their palms with a few greenbacks and let them pick what they'd like to have for lunch.  Bless them both, this is always very easy.   Number one son came last week to paint the bedroom (Benjamin Moore's “Gray Mirage,” a medium sage color, that I love, love, LOVE!), and asked me to fix a recipe that he'd spotted online for Chili Dog Casserole.  While you may be inclined to snort with haughty derision, don't.  It was easy and darned good.  To dress it up a bit (if one can dress up a chili dog), I served it with a side of Spanish rice (thank you Rice-a-Roni), and it was a hearty, satisfying, tasty meal.  If, like me, you keep a package of hotdogs and your homemade chili perpetually in the freezer, you essentially have all of the components for this dish.  I now have a package of flour tortillas in the freezer as well, so I'm ready to paint the next room.  

Chili Dog Casserole

1 (15-ounce) can chili with beans 

(or without beans, or your own homemade)

4 beef frankfurters, steamed

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1/2 (8-ounce) package shredded 

Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend

4 scallions, sliced

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread half of the chili and beans in the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish.  Place tortillas on a cutting board or other flat surface.  Spread about a tablespoon of chili down the center of the tortilla, put the warm frank on top of the chili, and roll up inside tortilla.  Place in the baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili.  Top with remaining chili and beans, and sprinkle with cheese. 

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.  Plate and top with chopped scallions.

You can go crazy with this dish by adding chopped jalapenos, black olives, or anything else that tickles your fancy. 

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday