No-Chop Chili
Tonight I needed dinner to come together quickly. I have made chili a bunch of times, but this was the first time I tried a shortcut. My kids wanted to play outside all afternoon and are too little for me to watch from the window while prepping dinner (a 2-year old and a 2-story playset...you get me). So I had a little brainstorm and used salsa to save the time spent chopping garlic, onions, and peppers. Why not, right? After browning the meat, the rest was literally dump and stir. Even the spices you can eyeball if you don’t feel like messing with measuring spoons. You can always taste it after it simmers and add more of something. It won’t win any chili cook-off contests, but it’s pretty good considering you don’t even need to pull out a knife or dirty a cutting board. I froze the leftovers so that I can make chili-mac happen even faster on another night. Poof!
No-Chop Chili
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ bottle lager beer
1 cup beef broth
3 cans beans (black, pinto, or kidney), drained and rinsed
2 cans tomato sauce (14.5 oz each)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
¾ cup salsa
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Brown the ground beef or turkey in a large pot over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the beer and cook 3-4 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients except the corn. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for about half an hour. Stir in the corn kernels and simmer another few minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Top with lots of shredded cheddar. Serves 6.
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