Slow-Cooker Chili

Here's to the humble, hard working slow-cooker. These silent chefs of the kitchen are truly built for comfort, not for speed. We're having chili for supper tonight, and I'd like to share the recipe with you.

Slow-Cooker Chili

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Two 15-oz cans red kidney beans, undrained

Two 1.25-oz packages chili seasoning mix

One 15-oz can tomato sauce

One 10-oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies

Shredded cheese and sour cream, optional

Directions

1. Brown beef, bell pepper and onion in skillet over medium-high heat; drain well. Add beef mixture to slow-cooker.

2. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except cheese and sour cream.) Add to beef mixture; stir gently. Place lid on slow-cooker and cook on low 6-7 hours, or on high 3-3.5 hours until heated through. Garnish each serving with cheese and sour cream, if desired. Serves 8.







Speckled Butter Beans

I'm cooking this simple recipe for dinner this evening. It has become a fovrite side dish at our house. These beans go very well with any combination of down-home dishes. I'm planning to serve them with oven fried chicken and okra.

Speckled Butter Beans

Ingredients

Two 16-oz packages frozen speckled butter beans

2 Tbsp jarred ham soup base (in case you aren't familiar with this wonderful substance, you'll find it next to the bullion and broth at your grocery store) 

2 Tbsp butter, cut up

4 cups water

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine beans, ham base and water in a large saucepan. Bring to boil oven medium-high heat.

2. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 30-35 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6.