Everything's Better With Chocolate...Even Chili
It’s been a busy few weeks at home pulling me away from the blog--it seems like all my free time has been sucked into weekend DIY home improvement projects and preparing for my Stella’s sixth birthday. Six years already? Where did the time go.
Because I’ve been so busy, it would have been very easy to abandon intentional trips to the grocery store and developing a plan for what we are going to eat during the week. Especially that one Sunday when I climbed the stairs 34,678 times playing musical furniture throughout the house and had to settle for a trip down the street to the store for the bare essentials way too late in the day. Nonetheless, I didn’t throw in the towel and call for delivery. Look at me being committed to health and a budget--level up on adulting.
One of my favorite go-to dishes when I know I’m going to be short on time is chili. Once I get everything in the pot and simmering, I like to keep things at a low bubble for 2.5 hours, so I’d say you might want to make this meal when you find yourself bouncing between folding a million batches of laundry and rescuing Legos from the wrath of the vacuum cleaner.
The end result will yield a dish with endless opportunities--you can eat this chili by itself, but what fun would that be. Don’t forget to top with some diced onions, cheese if you do dairy, or my personal favorite: a scoop served in the middle of a baked sweet potato and topped with a sprinkle of green onion. And, don’t forget the biggest perk to this big batch is the leftovers waiting in your fridge after a busy day of work and kid-wrangling.
Tomorrow our local United Way agency is hosting a chili cookoff. I know for a fact this recipe is fantastic when cooked outside in a blackpot….that’s a cast iron cauldron for any non Louisiana folks out there. I won’t be entering myself in the competition, but no one ever complains when this is on the stove. And, that’s a big win in my book.
Chocolate Chili adapted from Well Fed
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium orange or yellow peppers, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 bay leaves, whole and dried
Heat a large dutch oven with oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers when oil melts, stirring with a wooden spoon and cook until soft (5-10 minutes). Add garlic and all spices for about 1 minute and then, add meat to the pot and break apart with spoon to combine with mix. Continue to cook the meat, stirring until brown. Add tomato paste and stir until combined.Add tomatoes with their juice, broth, water and bay leaves to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours or more to desired thickness. Do not be afraid to taste and add additional seasonings as needed. Scoop and enjoy! Freezes well, too….if you are lucky to have any leftovers.