Saturday, September 21, 2013

It's Chili Time




Chili is one of the easiest meals to prepare and serves a hearty helping of heat on a chilly day. Everyone has their own idea of what chili should include and it sparks strong debate. I don't have a standard chili recipe...sometimes I add different ingredients depending on how hot I want it. When making chili for kids, I don't add a lot of heat ingredients. I keep to some basics, although I do use two kinds of beans. Kidney and black beans. I like the size and flavor variation. I also use diced tomatoes not tomato paste. Most of the time I add salsa. If you don't want meat, double up on the beans and you won't know the difference. I also add my veggies in after everything is already cooked. If you are making a big pot and will be reheating, I recommend doing the same. They add a nice semi-soft crunch. Toss them in while you reheat and they will cook to perfection and keep their nice bright color. I especially like corn and peppers.  If you like, top with some cheese, sour cream, pepper and a little sriracha. 

The fun thing that comes with this serving of chili is that I lined the bowl with a small corn tortilla and then crisped up another one in the oven for a few festive accents. I like using a red serving dish to brighten the presentation.

However you make your chili, it's sure to please everyone. Make it ahead of time and put some in the freezer. Then when you need a delicious hot meal in minutes it's right on hand.

TIP: Any leftovers can go into lots of other dishes. Chili nachos, chili fries, inside quesadillas, over eggs, over cornbread...you can even make a chili pizza. Little ones like chili on bagels warmed up with some mex-mix cheese...try it.

I've included a link below that has all kinds of history on chili if you want to know more. Some fun facts everyone will enjoy.






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