Sunday, August 12, 2012

Chili Diaries

When I think of a meal fit for a crowd, for a cold day or for a Crock-Pot, I think chili. It's versatile, easy and delicious, not to mention inexpensive to make. Although we've had a wicked heat wave here in so-cal, I recently made a big batch this week on a karate night. For some reason, it feels like we are always running late and the last place I want to be is in the kitchen cooking a big meal when we are rushing. So I turn to my friend, the Crock-Pot. I usually go for a homemade chili with a combination of chili beans, kidney beans and black beans with lean ground turkey. This is an easy go-to and when served with corn bread, hot dogs, or chips and cheese, makes a hearty meal. There are so many different recipes to play with and although I rarely take the time to make it, my favorite is white chicken chili with navy or cannelini beans. It's a little more time consuming as you have to roast or boil and shred chicken. But in my opinion, it's the best. So when I saw a canned version by Hormel, I had to try it.
Normally, I'm not a big fan of canned chili with meat as you never know how fresh or how high the quality of meat will be. This was made with chicken breast so I gave it a whirl and it did not disappoint. Flavorful, meaty, and with just enough kick, it was a great meal with the addition of tortilla chips and shredded cheddar.
So go on, give chili a chance. Whether homemade or canned, just double-check your ingredients and if you can, buy an organic or all-natural canned version to cut down on fat, preservatives and additives. And if it's homemade, even better. Play with your proteins and flavors and have fun with it. What's your favorite chili recipe?

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