Monday night football makes people hungry. All the rooting and cheering really stirs up the appetite. So providing a hearty yet simple chili with nacho chips will keep everyone charged up and focused on the game. It's also a great time to use a slow cooker since the cooler months are now here in the northern hemisphere. This is a good time to take advantage of the ease that this appliance delivers. And the great cooking smells that develop can't hurt either!
The following beef chili recipe makes 10 servings and can be doubled to please a larger crowd or halved to serve a few people. It contains only a handful of key ingredients (ground beef, diced tomatoes, an onion, and kidney beans) and several easy-to-find spices. Its level of heat is mild, so it will appeal to a large crowd. If more heat is desired, follow the tip at the end of the chili recipe to give it that extra kick. And most importantly, keep the cooking to a minimum to enjoy the game!
Easy Beef Chili
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 2 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 16-ounce cans of red kidney beans, drained
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium onion
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
What to do:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the liquid. Pour the ground beef into the slow cooker.
- Chop the onion into small pieces and add this to the beef.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Tips:
For more heat, add some cayenne pepper sauce to the mixture (to taste) before cooking, or add to individual portions after cooking. Add grated cheese and/or a dollop of sour cream to the top of each person's chili portion.
Nachos
As a side to complete the chili, add some nachos and dip(s).
Ingredients:
- A bag or bags of nachos (blue corn nachos mixed with white corn nachos add some fun color)
- Toppings such as salsa, cheese, sour cream, and/or guacamole
What to do:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread nachos on a medium-sized baking sheet.
- If melted cheese is desired, sprinkle grated cheese of choice (cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and so on) over the nacho chips.
- Heat in oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted but not browning.
- Top heated chips with the salsa, sour cream, and so on, or serve the toppings on the side.
- Enjoy!
Jennifer Gerics - Before I began freelance writing, I was employed in the health and public service fields for more than a decade, particularly as a ...
