Thursday nights is gaming night here at my house and we have anywhere from 5 to 10 people over that sometimes, against my better judgement, I take it upon myself to feed. When I do I tend to have to find something that makes a very large amount for relatively cheap.
This week I made my famous crock pot chili that I learned to make from my mom. You start by browning an equal amount of lean ground beef and chorizo in a skillet with a chopped up onion and olive oil. Combine the meat and onion in a crock pot with an equal amount of beans. I used a combination of pinquitos as a base with a can of kidney beans thrown in for variation and texture. Add a large can of enchilada sauce with a spice level of your choice and set the crock pot on for a few hours until you’re ready to eat! This particular batch was very mild because I have to cater to a variety of palettes, some that can’t handle spicy foods. This is especially good for work days because the setup time is really quick, and it can be left on to cook all day. I typically serve it with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortillas, tortilla chips, saltine crackers or corn bread.
I think in future incarnations of this recipe I will keep it as mild as it was, but I will have diced chilis or hot sauce on hand for those of us that like it hot.
Veganize it! To make this vegan friendly you could consider adding in a greater variety of beans, and maybe throw in some squash - zucchini, crookneck or eggplant, or some tofu for the last hour or two of simmering.
