Moving to America has totally changed me – FACT. Not only have I become a wife (aiming for fully fledged domesticated goddess status!), but I also find myself saying “have a nice day” to complete strangers, I throw out the “trash” rather than the rubbish, I eat an entrée instead of a main, and I no longer consider putting sweet and savoury foods on the same plate an utter assault against food etiquette – thanks to mom’s delicious Watergate Salad (a fruit, nut and jelly combo that is served as a side with our entrée – it’s SO good)!
However, one of the biggest changes is that now I eat meat and LOTS of it! Having been a vegetarian for over 20 years of my life, this is a HUGE transition. But with Dick’s Drive-In (the BEST burgers), Daniel’s Broiler (melt in your mouth steak), Jones Original BBQ (pulled pork heaven!), and a whole multitude of other meaty temptations, my vegetarianism had lost the fight before I had even stepped off of the plane.
So today I celebrate my meatarianism with this truly heart-(and mouth-!) warming Slow-Cooked Spicy Beef Chili. Packed full of meaty beefy goodness and topped with a hot chili kick, it’s the perfectly warming winter dish. What’s even better is that this meal is slow-cooked, so the spices combine, linger and infuse throughout the day, so by the time you get home there is something truly hot, spicy and delicious waiting for you!
Before you get too excited and rush off to grab your slow cooker, please take note and learn from my past experiences! On my first attempt at this recipe I used 3 teaspoons of red chili flakes and it was hot, hot, hot! Thankfully we love spicy food, but it was certainly not a dish for the faint-hearted. Using 1 teaspoon certainly creates a nice level of hotness, but hard-core chili fans may wish to add more, so adjust to suit your preference.
To ensure your chili is properly cooked, you’ll need to brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker. Simply fry it in a pan over a medium-high heat until the meat is evenly browned and all the pinkness has gone – this should take approx. 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
Now place the ground beef in the slow cooker, along with all of the remaining ingredients (except the cheese, if using) and stir until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Cover and turn the slower cooker on to HIGH. Leave to cook for 4 hours. Alternatively, if you want to cook this recipe over a longer time period, cook on the high setting for 1 hour, then turn down to low and leave to cook for another 8 hours or so).
Serve hot with a garnish of cheese (if using). I served mine with thick slices of warm crusty bread and home-made guacamole – nom nom nom! Enjoy!
- Tovolo® ‘Love Tree’ Silicone Spatula
- Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
- Frying Pan
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Spicy Beef Chili
Ingredients:
2lbs Ground/Minced Beef
2 (16 oz) Cans Kidney Beans
2 (14.5 oz) Cans Diced Tomatoes, Drained
1 (8 oz) Can Tomato Sauce
2 Yellow Onions, Chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Red Chili Flakes
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
½ Cup Grated Cheese (Optional)
Instructions:
Place the ground beef in a frying pan and cook on the hob over a medium-high heat until the meat is evenly browned, approx. 7 minutes.
Drain and discard any excess grease.
Add the ground beef, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, red chilli flakes, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or cook on low for 8-10 hours).
Garnish each serving with Cheddar cheese (optional).
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com
Arugula & Rocket 
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