Dark Rich Chili

Chili Paste Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder
• 3 tablespoons of cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons of mexican oregano

Chili Ingredients

• 4 pounds of beef stew meat
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 2 poblano peppers (diced)
• 1-5 jalapeno peppers (minced)*
• 6 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 4 cups of beef broth*
• 1 can of tomato sauce (14oz can)
• 2 cans of beans (14oz can) pinto or red kidney beans*

Directions

Mix all ingredients for chili paste into a bowl. Slowly pour ½ cup of warm water into the bowl and stir. Set bowl aside for now. Brown the meat over a stove and throw in slow cooker set to high. Sear the onion and poblano peppers in same pan used for the meat. After about 5 minutes add the jalapeno(s) and garlic into the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Once done, throw it in the slow cooker. Add the chili paste to the slow cooker and stir it so that it even coats everything. Let it sit in the slow cooker for a couple minutes, then add the brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Stir it all together so that it is evenly distributed. Let sit for 5-8 hours.

Serving

Recommended garnishings are shredded Mexican cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream, diced

sweet onion, and Fritos/tortilla chips. Recipe should make 6-11 servings.

Notes from Travis

• Use as many jalapenos as your taste can handle.
• People on the internet say you can use beer or brewed coffee for more interesting flavors instead of beef broth.
• Beans are entirely optional and are not typically used in Texas chili. If using beans, add them to the crockpot a couple of hours before serving. 

Travis

Tuscan Beef Stew

1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup
12 oz. beef broth
½ cup red wine (or more - you decide)
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes, if necessary
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-style tomatoes
3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, pinch red pepper flakes), crushed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cans cannellini beans, drained

Mix all ingredients except beans in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 8-9 hours, or on High for 4-5 hours until done. Stir in beans and turn heat to High. Cook for 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Laura

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

My family doesn't eat turkey skin or parts of the turkey other than breast meat. This is the perfect 'put it in the crock pot and forget it' way to cook a turkey breast. The end result is falling off the bones and hardly requires carving. The best thing is the gravy is made when the turkey is done and just requires a little thickening.  If you do like a crispy skin, I suggest taking it off and frying it in a skillet when you brown the vegetables.  Use a slow cooker liner to make this whole process even easier.

1½ tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth, low sodium if preferred
1 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoon fresh sage
2 bay leaves
4-5 pound whole turkey breast, or whatever size fits in your crock pot
salt and pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until onion is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of broth and scrape any brown bits, smoothing out any lumps. Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir in remaining broth, water, wine, sage, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Season turkey with salt and pepper, place skin side up in slow cooker. Cover and cook 5 to 7 hours, or until turkey reaches 165° F with a meat thermometer. If your turkey has a pop up indicator, it is done when the pin pops out.

Transfer turkey to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest 20 minutes.  Let the braising liquid settle, then remove the fat from the surface. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, discard celery and bay leaves. Let it simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Originally from SkinnyTaste.com, slightly modified.

Laura

Italian Beef

Note: This is a dish from the upper Midwest, particularly Illinois, where it is served on a long sandwich roll with grilled onions and pepperoncini. There was a lady who came by with these sandwiches to our law office in Carbondale every Tuesday, which we renamed "Italian Beef Day." - Laura

2 large cans tomatoes
3 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 pound pork roast
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Cook in a roaster 4-5 hours at 325º F. Shred meat with two forks.  Alternately, put in a slow cooker for several hours.

Jackie

Herbed Artichoke Chicken

1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and sliced into halves if necessary

1 small onion, chopped

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1 cup chicken broth

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried sweet basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional: 1 teaspoon curry powder

Combine chicken and the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3 ½ to 4 hours, or until done.  Serves 6.

I serve it with egg noodles, and crusty, garlicky Italian bread.

Laura

Tex-Mex Pulled Pork

Sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili powder (no, that's not a typo)
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 (4.5 oz) cans diced green chilies
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 pound well-trimmed boneless pork loin roast
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Mix sauce ingredients in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker.  Add pork and then spoon sauce over pork.  Cover cooker and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or low 8-10 hours until pork is fork-tender.  Remove pork to a cutting board, and using two forks, pull the meat to shreds.

Pour sauce into serving bowl; stir in cilantro and shredded pork.  Serve on flour tortillas or burger buns, with shredded lettuce, diced onion, and sour cream as toppings.

Martha

Chicken and Corn Chili

From AllRecipes iPhone app - submitted by Sarah Jane

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 16-oz jar of salsa

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder (I use chipotle powder for a smokier taste - Laura)

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 11-oz can Mexican-style corn

1 15-oz can pinto beans

Garnishes

Chopped green onions

Shredded cheese

Chopped cilantro

Sour cream

Flour tortillas

Serve on the side; add to the chili.

Place chicken and salsa in the slow cooker the night before you want to eat the chili (or in the morning).  Season with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Cook 6-8 hours on low setting.

About 3-4 hours before you want to eat, shred the chicken with two forks.  Return to the pot, and continue cooking.

Before serving, stir in the corn and the pinto beans.  Simmer until ready to serve.

Sarah