Courageous Joy

Italian Chili Courtesy of Quick Cooking 2007

*1 lb ground beef
*½ lb bulk Italian sausage
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I just throw in fresh)
8 oz tomato sauce
1 C chopped onion
1 c chopped red bell (so use green this week LOL)
1 C water
½ C chopped celery (I have LOTS to put in here)
¼ c beef broth
1 T chili powder
1 T Italian Seasoning (oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, rosemary)
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt
*16 oz can kidney beans; rinsed and drained (I use cooked fresh)
I C sliced mushrooms
1 C diced zucchini
3 T minced fresh parsley (or dry)
Shredded mozzarella

Directions: Cook meat. In 3 qt slow cooker, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, water, celery, broth, chili powder, Italian seasoning, sugar, garlic and salt. Drain meat mixture, add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours – until veggies are tender. Serve with cheese if desired – Yield: 6 servings.

*Notes:
~Salt to taste – you may not need any.

~I use ground turkey instead of beef and I also use breakfast “sausage” that I make from the ground turkey – this would cut down fat. You could also skip the meat and add barley and more veggies and beans, or use all ground whatever that you like. I skipped the beef today and added more beans and squash - good.

~I make up big batches of dried beans and freeze them to quickly use in recipe. Put them in your crock-pot at night, covered with lots of water and turn on overnight – or put them on in the a.m. and let them cook during the day. This makes using fresh beans as quick as canned – and a lot less sodium etc.

~I was out of tomatoes today so I used 15 oz of tomato sauce and a small can of paste....and HONEY....and I threw in an extra handful of Italian spices after following the recipe....

Very yummy! AND I used up a zucchini and a yellow squash which were hardly noticeable in the chili.