Award Winning Chili

 Award Winning Chili (WON Spiciest)

This weekend we had a chili cook-off and trunk or treat. I wasn't going to make a chili, but decided what the heck. Here is the recipe I made for the cook-off. It's a sweet/spicy chili. Not too spicy, but since a white chicken chili won the top prize mine is more traditional chili, hence the winning category of SPICIEST it was the winner. To me, (no offense intended for the winners) but chili is supposed to be a bit spicy and red. Not white, and with chicken. Just saying. Well that is my two cents. What ever they are worth. Many who tried the chili were kind of shocked it won spiciest since it wasn't very spicy, definitely not a triple alarm chili. It has a great flavor and not just sweet or spicy. I had many compliments on the chili, I only had a small amount left to bring home. It was great Sunday on chili cheese hotdogs. :) This recipe is fairly easy and tastes delicious! Makes a large crockpot full, so freeze half for later or feed a crowd :)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 med onion diced
2 tsp diced garlic
2 cans chili beans
1 can tomatoes with green chili's
1 can green chili's
3 small cans Rotel (R) tomato sauce (mild)
1 1/2 cup pace picante sauce
2 heaping Tbsp chili seasoning
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 can tomato paste
1/4 c cocoa powder
4 tsp liquid smoke (use 1/2 when cooking the ground beef and onions together)
8 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg bacon bits
1 cup brown sugar
S & P to taste

Directions:

Put ground beef, onions, garlic, Worcestershire, S & P,  and 2 tsp liquid smoke in pot for chili. Brown beef, and cook onions until translucent. Cook down until most liquid has cooked off. Add all of the other ingredients stirring occasionally to blend together. Place on simmer and let simmer anywhere between 30 min or later. Great to transfer to a crock pot on low or keep warm once it's all heated through.  The longer it simmers the more the flavors marry each other and meld together better.

Me and my "Spiciest" award! 

A red wooden spoon and a box of Hot Tamales.

It looks like my son Mikey was photo bombing with his hand :)

Green chili, black bean, bacon cheese burger

Tonights dinner was hamburgers. I didn't want just regular hamburgers, I didn't have many vegetables since I we are running a little low until pay day. I read a stuffed burger recipe that used green chili's and onions. I thought this was a great idea.  Hidden veggies! I'm all about that! Again using what I have on hand to create a dinner that is healthy and that my kids will eat. Tricky, tricky, tricky. Next to the whole wheat homemade buns, I thought this would be a delicious addition.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb ground beef 85/15
1-4oz can of green chili's drained
1 pkg beefy onion lipton soup
1/2 a can of black bean refried beans
4-5 dashes of Frank's Red Hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
cheese slices
 bacon slices - browned

Directions
Mix the ground beef, green chili's, lipton soup, refried beans and Red hot pepper sauce. Don't over mix as it can make the the burgers tough. Heat a non stick skillet on med-high heat.

Form into meat patties. Once formed, place burgers in hot skillet, browning on each side approx. 3 minutes each side.

Should not move until ready to flip to create a nice crust. After flipped add cheese slices to melt while the other side cooks. 

Once the burgers are browned with cheese on top. Place bacon on burger and on bun of choice. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion and any other toppings desired.

This is a pretty yummy burger. All of my children ate their burger without complaint. It was full of nutrients and very tasty. As far as I'm concerned is that it's pretty healthy.