I'm Back Just in Time for Chili!

If you don't already know, let me be the first to tell you that starting a new job really takes a lot out of you - especially a job that forces you to learn something new on a daily basis! It has definitely been a journey since I started my new position and I love it, but it hasn't left me with much energy to be "Quinntessential." However, I'm no longer going to let it put my crafty-cooky side on the back burner. I'm back and ready to party - and what better way to reintroduce myself than with slow cooker chili for the bone-chilling season to come!

Growing up, my mom made around a hundred home-cooked and amazing meals, many of which I still make today. And, you guessed it, homemade chili is one of those meals! Because I don't have my mom's recipe for this (still waiting on that recipe book, Mahj!), I made my own...and it tasted nearly as good! Are you ready to fight the chilly weather with some delicious, heart-warming chili? Then this slow cooking chili recipe is the meal choice for you!

Recipe makes 6 servings
Ready in about 4 hours but can be cooked on low for 8 hours with 10 minutes of prep

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 24 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chili powder

Preparation

1. In a medium sized skilled, cook ground beef at medium-high heat until evenly browned. Drain.
2. Toss it all in your slow cooker and get cooking! Combine cooked ground beef, tomato sauce, black beans, kidney beans, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, pepper, salt, and chili powder. Mix thoroughly and cook on low for 6-8 hours or medium heat for 4 hours.

Of course, no meal is a success without my loony taste-tester giving it the thumbs up. Not sure why I keep this paint-covered weirdo around...I guess it's love! He loved it even though he told me before he made it that "he hates chili." LOL!

Try out the recipe and let me know what you think!