QUICK CHILI

One of the favorite meals in my household is chili.  It’s versatile it can be made with beef, pork, turkey, chicken, sausage, or be vegetarian.  Almost any veggies can be added, and it can be made green or red.  Sometimes it’s spicy, and sometimes not so spicy.  Some recipes use beans and some don’t.  And for me, most of the time it simmers on the stove for hours, but every once in a while we get a hankerin’ for chili and we want it now!

This Quick Chili isn’t like 10 minutes quick, because it does need to simmer for a bit, but think about it even chili from a can takes 10 to 15 minutes to heat up.  No this chili goes together in 30 to 40 minutes and it gets richness from the use of pork well as lean beef, flavorful veal stock and tomato paste for concentrated tomato flavor.

So I served my chili in Salted Pretzel Bread Bowls that I made after seeing them while I was visiting Bake Your Day.  Actually the whole reason that I made chili was so that I could serve them in these yummy bowls! 

Is it weird that I made a quick chili and then went to the effort to make bread bowls?  It might be.  I know what’s definitely weird is how my mind sometimes works.

Any hoo…

I made these lovely Salted Pretzel Bread bowls to serve my Quick Chili in.

I got the recipe from Cassie at Bake Your Day; I visit her blog often (almost every day) because she has many really great and creative recipes...and she's cute as a button!

The Salted Pretzel Bread Bowls were dense and delicious the perfect vessel for chili.  The only thing I may change in Cassie’s recipe would be to make 6 smaller bread bowls instead of 4.  I would place the bread bowl in a rim soup dish and allow the chili to flow over the sides.  I say this because the bread bowls were so dang yummy that Billy and I couldn’t stop eating them and we were soooo stuffed because it is dense bread.

While I served Quick Chili in those delicious bread bowls, it is also tasty with crackers (saltines, oyster crackers, or those adorable little gold fish) or corn bread.

Here’s what you do.

Start by sweating some diced onions, carrots and minced garlic in a little olive oil over medium-high heat.

When the onions are soft add some diced poblano peppers, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano.

Cook while stirring for a couple of minutes to toast the spices.

Now add some lean ground beef and ground pork.

Alternatively you may use all lean ground beef.

Once the meat has browned add a can of pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed.

Also add a can of diced tomatoes and 3 Tbsp. of tomato paste...

...As well as a cup of low sodium veal or beef stock.

I prefer veal stock if I can find it because it is richer in flavor.

Bring that to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes add 2/3 cup of frozen corn kernels.

Serve Quick Chili in these Salted Pretzel Bread Bowls, or with corn bread, or with crackers.

QUICK CHILI

Serves 4

½                           Medium onion, small dice

1                             Large carrot, small dice

2              cloves       Garlic, minced

1              Tbsp.         Vegetable oil

1                             Poblano pepper, small diced (the seeds have the heat so leave them or remove them it’s up to you)

2              Tbsp.         Chili powder

1               tsp.          Cumin

1 ½           tsp.          Oregano, preferably Mexican

½              lb.            Lean ground beef

½              lb.            Ground pork

1-15           oz. can      Pinto bean, drained and rinsed

1-14.5         oz. can      Diced tomatoes

3               Tbsp.        Tomato paste

1               cup          Beef or veal stock, low sodium

2/3            cup          Frozen corn kernels

  1.       Add the onion, carrot, garlic and oil to a Dutch oven or a large sauce pan, sweat this between medium and medium high heat.

  2.       When the onions have softened add the Poblano pepper, chili powder, cumin and oregano.  Cook stirring frequently for about 1 1/2 minutes.

  3.       Add the beef and pork to the pot to brown, stirring frequently.

  4.       When the meat has browned add the pinto bean, diced tomatoes, and the beef (or veal) stock.  Allow this to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

  5.       Add the corn in at the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Serve with crackers, corn bread or in Pretzel Bread Bowls!

Note: you may use all lean beef for this dish.

You may also like:

Vegetarian White Bean Chili

Turkey White Bean Chili

Red Bean Casserole