Crock Pot Chili

Sunday. Sometimes the busiest day of the week for me. Weekends are supposed to be relaxing. On Sunday night (or Saturday for that matter) the last thing I want to do is brood over dinner. This morning I had some time at home so I decided to throw some things in the crock pot so the accountant and I and the baby could spend sometime doing something fun. Namely go to a friend's baby's first birthday party! So I opened the fridge to see what I had. "Hmm, grass fed ground beef. What can I make with that? Oh, chili will work." I must admit most of my dinners are made with ingredients I just happen to find in the pantry or fridge. I find it cheaper than running up to the store every time a recipe calls for something I don't have. So I improvise. Today I made up my own recipe and I think it turned out pretty good. You might have noticed by now I like a little spice so chili was the obvious choice for me.
Here is what I found in the pantry and fridge:

 Here is what I placed in the crock pot:

1lb of grass fed ground beef ($3.30 per pound at the Snohomish Farmers Market)
1/2 of a yellow onion
1/2 of a red onion
8 cloves of garlic (from Klesick Family Farm box of good)
1 cup of fresh cilantro (grown from seed in my garden)
1 jalapeno ($0.25 at the farmers market)
1 Tb of coconut oil ( 30 ounces for 11.50 with subscribe and save on Amazon.com)
1/2 ounce of dark chocolate (Trader Joe's, they have great prices on chocolate)
1/4 teaspoon of chopped, not crushed red chile pepper (spice from Trader Joe's, also good prices)
1 tsp of black pepper ( I use a lot so I buy it from Costco)
1 cup of organic beef broth (Trader Joe's)
30 oz of canned black beans (Trader Joe's) if you want to use dry use 20 ounces of dry
15 ounces of canned kidney beans (Trader Joe's) if you want to use dry use 10 ounces of dry
1/2 cup of dry red wine (Charles Shaw 2.99 at Trader Joe's)
1 can of organic diced tomatoes (8 for $8 dollars at Costco)

For later you will need organic long grain brown rice (large bag is about 7 dollars at Costco) and an avocado ( I bought mine organic at Trader Joe's)

Recipe:                                            
 First place baby in the high chair

Then place crock pot on counter

Then break up grass fed beef and place it in crock pot

Then chop both onion halves

Place onion in crock pot 

Chop up cilantro and place in crock pot, along with garlic, jalapeno, chopped red pepper, black pepper and the chocolate

Rinse beans in colander (these are canned beans, dry beans require overnight soaking or cooking)

Place beans, red wine and beef broth in crock pot. Stir together, place lid on crock pot. Cook on high for 6-8 hours until meat is done. Mine was done after 6 hours but I left it on high for another two. The liquid you put in the crock pot prevents food from burning.

Time to go to the birthday party!

 

When I came home I made brown rice to put the chili on top of

The finished product garnished with avocado and surrounded by tortilla chips ( you can buy organic at Costco for 4 something dollars or a smaller bag for $2.50 at Trader Joe's)

Yeah! Dinner is served.