"Smack Your Mamma" Salsa Chili!

We need to cook today!!!

It’s cold today. The wind is howling and the temperatures are heading into the single digits. Those of us in the northeast have been spoiled by mild winters the last two seasons, but this week will remind us of where we live. Don’t kill the messenger because I actually like this kind of weather…for a while, anyway.

 When I see this type of  forecast, I immediately start to think of what could be simmering on the stove. What inviting scent will warm the kitchen and give off the aroma that, as my old friend Louise used to say “smells like somebody's home”!

So today, I am breaking out the crock pot and am making my “Quickfix Salsa Chili”. The recipe is so easy that it requires very little effort or time, and so delicious that I usually make a large batch because family members tend to take it for lunch the next day. This chili requires no dicing of onions, peppers or garlic, and all the mess that comes with it. No, all that is needed here is:

• 2 lbs ground meat (I use ground chicken, but do your own thing here)
• 1 tbls pre-chopped garlic in a jar (this type of garlic tends to be strong but it is absolutely perfect for this chili)
• 2 pks of favorite chili seasoning (I use McCormick’s. 1 pk of mild, 1 pk of hot – great compromise)
• 1 lg jar of your favorite salsa (here are all your onions, peppers and garlic! And don’t be afraid to get a little wild with your choice of salsa!)
• 2 tbls of Barbeque sauce
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 can of dark kidney beans (optional)
• Shredded cheddar cheese for topping, if desired.

That’s it! Saute the garlic in a little oil, add and brown the meat then mix in the chili seasoning. Drain the meat mixture and put in the crock pot with all the other ingredients and let simmer for at least an hour, or four or five, if time allows. To quote my friend Louise again (I tend to think of her on cold winter days because it is when we once spent so much time in my kitchen) this chili is “smack your mamma good! It is also a great stove top chili recipe as well. Assemble the same way and let is simmer for at least an hour.

The salsa really does all the work in the flavoring department here. I usually serve it with a loaf of crusty bread, but for parties (Super Bowl?), it is great to put out with scoopable  (spellcheck is having a fit with that word, but you know what I mean) Tostito chips with a side of sour cream!

By the end of the week, we will experience the coldest temperatures in years. So, if you have a favorite “warm the house up” recipe, please share it!! Together, we can cozy our way to Spring!






Some photos by ImageGoogle