Around Christmas I was talking (thatβs code for wine tasting) with my cousin and I mentioned my weekend pancake recipe. She asked if I had weekday pancakes too. I think she was making fun of me. I donβt joke about pancakes. Nobody should. So I replied (rather proudly, I might add): OF COURSE I DO. Donβt you? Doesnβt everyone? I mean reallyβ¦I wanna know.
In an effort to keep obesity at bay, I have several different recipes for one dish. So, for waffles and pancakes, I have weekday and weekend. One is healthier than the other. Truth be told, I have overnight pancakes, gluten and dairy free pancakes, in addition to the weekday and weekend ones. Same goes for sconesβ¦pizzaβ¦and whatβs brought us here today: chili. Really, you can tell how much I love something by how many recipes I have to make it. Chocolate chip cookies? Too many to count.
My mom gave me the best chili recipeβ¦I use it all the time. Itβs weeknight chili. Itβs super easy to put together, cooks pretty quickly, tastes delicious and itβs healthy. These are the pillars of weeknight cooking. However, as soon as itβs Friday, the wheels come off of my puritanical bus and we enter weekend cooking. It can be dangerous territory. There are really no hard limits in this mythical place. I want butter. I want cream. And I wanna cook the hell out of some really fatty pieces of meat. I can take it. Really. I promise.
This { weekend chili } has some of the cornerstones of weeknight cooking: itβs tasty and easy. But I donβt think anyone would call this healthy. Take a quick look belowβ¦there is a lot of meat happening here. Iβm cool with thatβ¦are you?
This is super easy to throw together. If you donβt like chorizo (GASP!), you could substitute Italian sausage (I would get it hot). Likewise, you could cook this on the stovetop or in the oven (in a GINORMOUS Dutch oven)β¦brown everything and cook the crap out of it. Boom. Eat. Love. Repeat.
{ chorizo + beer chili }
Serves 10 (at least)
INGREDIENTS
- 6 ounces Mexican chorizo (make sure you get the soft, squeeze-out stuffβ¦you donβt want hard, Spanish chorizoβ¦hmmβ¦wait, what are we talking about?)
- 1.5 to 2 pounds ground beef (I used 93% lean)
- 4 pounds stewing beef (more fat the better)
- 2 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce
- 1 12-ounce bottle of beer (I used Coronaβ¦your choice)
- 8 ounces beef broth
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 poblano chili, seeded, deveined and chopped (you could use a jalapeno, but you would use a lot lessβ¦maybe 1 tablespoon of chopped jalapeno (seeded and deveined as wellβ¦depends on your heat threshold))
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- ΒΌ cup masa harina
For Serving:
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Cilantro, chopped
- Green onion, chopped
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Pickled red onions, recipe here
- Hot sauceβ¦if you like it really hot
- And whatever you fancy on your chiliβ¦this is just how I do it.
- Copious amounts of beer.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Throw everything in the slow cooker.
- Depending on how much time you have, cook it on low for 8-10 hours or high for about 6 hours.
- Done. I like to put a handful of chips in the bottom of the bowl, then the chili, some cheese and then all the yummy extras on top.
- Quick side note: I do love my chili to cool and then reheat it before serving. Even if itβs the same day. Something magical happens during the cooling and reheating process. It just gets better.
{ on my mind }
- So I had all the best intentions of getting this out during the week, appropriately ahead of Super Bowl. Well, here we are. The day before. Some things never change. Itβs not too late if you go to the store now and let it cook all night. Iβm just saying, this could still happen. Remember? Weβre not quitters.
- I really truly, really, double swear Iβm making those sausage rolls today. Start dreaming about them. Theyβre coming.
- I got up at 3:25AM to drive my daughter and her friends to a school ski trip. I think I deserve a medal. I kinda feel like I should get the mom-of-the-day award. Is there such a thing? If not, we should start it. Do you know how early 3:25AM is? Needless to say, I feel like Iβm recovering from the flu…a little weak, a little frail, a little like I was just nuked in the microwave. Itβs not even noon and Iβm wiped out. Day ovah. I think I need another cup of chili.
- Since Iβm not even sure who is playing in the Super Bowl, letβs talk about something else. My kids are going on vacation with their dad and Iβm going to spend the night in LA with some friends. Let me just give you a heads-up: the wheels are definitely coming off of the puritanical bus. I can hardly wait. Email or post below any restaurant and spa recommendations.
- Should I finally make those whoopee pies? Theyβre calling me. I think that and a basketball game are the only things likely to get me outta bed. Oh, and the damn sausage rolls that I know I will never, ever regret.
- Oh, one quick note…I will go back to my { carnitas enchiladas } recipe and give some oven instructions…duh…I know not everyone has a slow cooker. I hope the above oven instructions work for you (even though they’re spartan…email or pm if they are too sparse). Also, a quick thank you to my AWESOME followers that made the { carnitas enchiladas } and for keeping me updated with photos during the process. Love it. If you make something of mine, use the hashtag #taitaieats. You guys rock.
- Happy weekend. xoxo
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Okay that was so easy and I got to drink a beer at 9:30 in the morning! One for the chili one for me!
I will let you know how it turns out!
I can’t wait to hear!! I’m happy you’re drinking before noon today. That’s a good Sunday. xoxo