Quick & Easy Halloween Chili...

Halloween Salsa Chili...no tricks here, this is a treat!

In the northeast, it is going to be a chilly Halloween (which I love)! So before young trick or treaters crunch through the leaves on dark streets, it is really a good idea to fill their stomachs with something warm and healthy! In fact, it may even cut down on their desire to munch between houses!

But, spending time in the kitchen is probably not something that all those planned Halloween activities, allows. With that in mind, this scary delicious salsa chili recipe is easy and quick to prepare! It can also be thrown together earlier in the day and put in the crock pot to simmer for hours Or, use a dutch oven type pot to prepare on the stove top. Let the mixture simmer for at least 30 minutes so they flavors can blend together. This is actually now the only chili I prepare because I love the flavor of the salsa in it. And it is so easy to control the "heat" level with the type of salsa you buy!

It's going to be a busy night! Make this early and forget about it! (Which can be hard because it smells amazingly good!) Be sure to pick up a loaf of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 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 Barbecue 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 and reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain the meat mixture and put in dutch oven (or any heavy bottomed pot) with all of the other ingredients and let simmer for at least an hour, or, if made earlier, crock pot for at least 4 hours. If you're really feeling the spirit of the holiday, serve in hallowed out pumpkin! Enjoy it, then go hauntingly into the night!