Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (27 page)

1. Brown ground beef and onions in skillet in oil if needed. Stir frequently to break up clumps of meat. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.

2. Spoon meat and onions into slow cooker. Stir in all other ingredients.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 3-5 hours.

Variation:

In order to have a thicker chili, stir in a 6-oz. can tomato paste in Step 2.

Tips:

An assortment of toppings can take the place of a salad with this chili. I usually offer chopped onions, tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese, picante sauce, and, when avocados are in season, guacamole.

Cornbread or refrigerated twist rolls sprinkled with garlic salt are delicious. Either chocolate or apple cake with ice cream makes a happy ending.

This is a fun informal party dish which connects the guests as they get involved in selecting their favorite toppings.

As a frequently enjoyed dish, this recipe has stood the test of time. Our children thought it was delicious when they were young and now they enjoy preparing it for their own families.

Extra Easy Chili

Jennifer Gehman

Harrisburg, PA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef,
or
turkey

1 envelope dry chili seasoning mix

16-oz. can chili beans in sauce

2 28-oz. cans crushed,
or
diced, tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onion

1. Crumble meat into slow cooker.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours or on Low 6-8 hours. Stir halfway through cooking time.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
white rice
, topped with
shredded cheddar cheese
and
chopped raw onions
.

Note:

I decided to make this Chili recipe one year for Christmas. Our family was hosting other family members—and we had had guests for about a week prior to Christmas.

Needless to say, I was tired of cooking so this seemed easy enough. It was so nice to put the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook all day long. Not only did the Chili warm us up on a cold day, but it was a welcomed change from the traditional Christmas meal. It has been my tradition ever since!

Grandma’s Chili

Beverly Flatt-Getz

Warriors Mark, PA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 large onion, chopped

2 lbs. ground beef

oil

28-oz. can stewed tomatoes

16-oz. can dark kidney beans, undrained

15-oz. can chili with beans

10¾-oz. can tomato soup

1 tsp. K.C. Masterpiece BBQ sauce

¼ tsp. garlic salt

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. onion salt

¼ tsp. chili powder

pinch of sugar

1. Brown onion and beef in skillet in oil, if needed. Stir meat frequently to make sure it’s browning evenly, but leave meat in larger chunks. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.

2. Spoon meat and onion into slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Cover. Cook on High 4 hours.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
crackers
,
rolls
,
butter
, and
apple crisp
with
whipped topping
.

Note:

When the grandchildren come to visit from five different states, they always ask for Grandma’s Chili. I just made up the recipe. Now I’m afraid to change it!

Hearty Potato Chili

Janice Muller

Derwood, MD

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

oil

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds,
optional

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. chili powder

1 pkg. au gratin,
or
scalloped, potato mix

1 cup hot water

15-oz. can kidney beans, undrained

16-oz. can stewed tomatoes

4-oz. can mushroom pieces, undrained

1. Brown ground beef in skillet in oil, if needed. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps of meat. When meat is no longer pink, spoon into slow cooker. Reserve drippings.

2. Sauté onions and green peppers in drippings until softened.

3. Place sautéed vegetables, along with all other ingredients in slow cooker. Mix together well.

4. Cover. Cook on High 4 hours, or until liquid is absorbed and potatoes are tender.

Spicy Chili

Deborah Swartz

Grottoes, VA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.

½ lb. sausage, either cut in thin slices or removed from casings

½ lb. ground beef

½ cup chopped onions

½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

⅛ cup chopped celery

⅛ cup chopped green bell peppers

1 cup salsa

16-oz. can tomato juice

6-oz. can tomato paste

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. pepper

1. Brown sausage, ground beef, and onions in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps of meat.

2. During last 3 minutes of
browning, add mushrooms, celery, and green peppers. Continue cooking; then drain off drippings.

3. Spoon meat and sautéed vegetables into cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Cover. Cook on High 2-3 hours.

Variations:

Add any or all of the following to Step 3:

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

15-oz. can black beans, undrained

15-oz. can whole-kernel corn, undrained