>I discovered A Year of Crockpotting (is that really a word? It is now) and I’ve checked her out every day since. I’ve copied a few recipes to keep in my file, and I’ve left a few comments. I’m not as dedicated as Stephanie, who is using her crockpot every day for a full year. I use mine about once a week during the school year, a little less often in the summer when I’m home to cook.
She had me at the title for this one: Clean Out the Pantry Crockpot Chili. My chili has a basic formula, but if I’m honest I’ll admit it’s never the same twice. Leftover taco meat? Meatsauce from spaghetti? Chunky spaghetti sauce with veggies from the garden? All of the above works in a crock pot full of chili. Last time I made chili in my crock pot, it turned out something like this.
Clean out the Fridge Crock Pot Chili by Daisy
Add to crock pot in this order:
1 can chili beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
leftover sloppy joe meat
leftover meatballs (chopped beyond recognition)
a few leftover vegetables
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 green onion, diced
2 spinach leaves, diced (I’m not opposed to adding green veggies when the kiddos don’t know it)
leftover spaghetti sauce
Turn pot on low for 4-6 hours. About 1 1/2 hour before serving, add leftover spaghetti or egg noodles. Turn pot to high.
Serve with grated cheese (optional).
Enjoy!
>love this! i’ve been known to add zucchini (blended to a pulp, of course) to get my husband to eat more vegetables. you can’t even taste it…
>I’m dying to do the clean-out-the-pantry chili that I read about on A Year of Crockpotting, too. Only problem–I’ve got no meat. I need to go food shopping today; perhaps I’ll add ground turkey to the list.
Leah
>I like to use my crock pot a lot in the winter months. Our family fav is beef stew. My husband is the chili guy he makes his so spicy it brings tears to your eyes while it is just simmering in the pot. OUCH!
Just though I would pay you back for the comment BLOG THE RECESSION!
>Funny, I was just thinking about making chili for dinner tonight. I might have to add some things to my chili. We have lots of shredded zucchini…
>I have been meaning to buy a crockpot for like a year now…this recipe makes me wish I already had! My husband would love this dish – and to be able to cook w/o having to stand over a stove – even better!
Thanks for coming by my blog, and here’s to Blogging the Recession!
>Sounds tasty, but I agree .., the word crockpotting scares me! 😉
>I bet that is good. You are a braver cook than I am!
>Mmmm! I’m hungry for chili now! It’s almost been cool enough here to make a pot, but I know the heat will return in a day or two. 🙁
>Sounds good! We’ve been getting vegetables delivered each week from a local farm. We never know in advance exactly what we’re getting, so I’ve learned to cook in response to that week’s delivery.
This week? Borsht (to use up beet and cabbage) and tabouli (for all that parsley!). It’s undoubtedly the way the pioneers dealt with food — no grocery stores to provide out-of-season produce.
And Leah? Chili does not need meat! Throw in some kind of beans: navy or kidney or soy, it really doesn’t matter, and that’s all the protein you’ll need, and more fibre than meat could possibly dream of providing!