The second Great Chili Cook Off took a bit longer than we anticipated -- but we just tried our last delicious recipe, Steak and Sweet Potato chili with cocoa powder and cinnamon. If you are looking for a Superbowl chili recipe -- this is it, the winner of the cook off!
One of our New Year's resolutions included keeping up with our weekly menu planning. So, only a few weeks into 2014, we are doing our very best. Crockpot cooking does help us stick to a plan, make enough for leftovers (i.e. less lunches purchased), and minimize wait time for dinner after we get home from work. For this recipe we were even able to use leftover frozen sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving. We are going to keep working to find creative ways to enjoy great dinners and keep food spending down -- that work for our small family.
One of our New Year's resolutions included keeping up with our weekly menu planning. So, only a few weeks into 2014, we are doing our very best. Crockpot cooking does help us stick to a plan, make enough for leftovers (i.e. less lunches purchased), and minimize wait time for dinner after we get home from work. For this recipe we were even able to use leftover frozen sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving. We are going to keep working to find creative ways to enjoy great dinners and keep food spending down -- that work for our small family.
Here's what you'll need...
olive oil
1/3 cup minced garlic
1 sweet onion chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
2 cooked sweet potatoes mashed (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons chili powder
6 thick strip steaks cubed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can spiced diced tomatoes
Let's get started...
1. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Turn until peppers are soft and onions are transparent.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and poke holes throughout. Cook in microwave on high for about 8 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool, then scoop potato into bowl. Mash gently -- chunks will soften in chili.
3. Combine beef, tomatoes, beans, broth, spices and mashed sweet potatoes in crockpot.
4. Mix cooked onions and peppers into chili.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7+ hours. Make sure that beef is cooked through before serving.
6. Serve with crumbled feta and sour cream.
Our runner up is definitely the Vegetarian Quinoa Chili. We have been quinoa skeptics for some time, but were impressed at how rich this chili was without meat. Plus, it was the first chili I made that was spicy enough for our household's lead food critic.
Finding ourselves at the conclusion of this Great Chili Cook Off means that I have created a somewhat comprehensive set of chili recipes -- that is 10 chili recipes. Whoa.
olive oil
1/3 cup minced garlic
1 sweet onion chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
2 cooked sweet potatoes mashed (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons chili powder
6 thick strip steaks cubed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can spiced diced tomatoes
Let's get started...
1. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Turn until peppers are soft and onions are transparent.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and poke holes throughout. Cook in microwave on high for about 8 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool, then scoop potato into bowl. Mash gently -- chunks will soften in chili.
3. Combine beef, tomatoes, beans, broth, spices and mashed sweet potatoes in crockpot.
4. Mix cooked onions and peppers into chili.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7+ hours. Make sure that beef is cooked through before serving.
6. Serve with crumbled feta and sour cream.
Our runner up is definitely the Vegetarian Quinoa Chili. We have been quinoa skeptics for some time, but were impressed at how rich this chili was without meat. Plus, it was the first chili I made that was spicy enough for our household's lead food critic.
Finding ourselves at the conclusion of this Great Chili Cook Off means that I have created a somewhat comprehensive set of chili recipes -- that is 10 chili recipes. Whoa.
