18 November

Beat the Arctic Blast with these 5 Warm-your-Bones Chili Recipes!

Most of the country is shivering beneath a bitter arctic blast that has brought an early glimpse of winter from the Pacific Northwest all the way to the Southeast. Don’t let Jack Frost have the last laugh! Warm yourself from the inside out and make your belly happy at the same time with these 5 irresistible chili recipes. From toasty slow-cooker vegetarian chili, to 4-meat Texas chili, to firecracker Sriracha chili, we have a chili to suit every taste and warm every tummy. Take that, Old Man Winter!

• Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

This hearty vegetarian chili, perfected by the chefs of Food & Wine Magazine’s Test Kitchen, has a touch of sweetness from red bell peppers, a rich, filling “meatiness” from shiitake mushrooms, and a nice kick from chipotle chili powder. Best of all, this chili can simmer in the slow cooker while you watch the game, and family and guests can serve themselves seconds (and thirds) as needed

• Four-Meat Texas Chili

This fiery-hot chili is a meat-lover’s dream. In fact, this recipe leaves out the beans altogether, so it’s perfect for that family member who loves meat but isn’t exactly a legume fan. Ground beef, chorizo sausage, spicy Italian sausage and bacon give this chili meaty variety, and coffee and cocoa, while they may sound unusual, give the chili’s flavor depth and complexity. This recipe is a real winner!

• Fiery Slow-Cooker Sriracha Chili

This slow-cooker Sriracha chili is the perfect meaty companion to the vegetarian slow-cooker chili above. Serve this to your meat-loving guests on game night, and keep them coming back for seconds! This recipe is just as delicious with ground beef or ground turkey, and is guaranteed to warm up both your taste buds and your belly.

• Super-Cheesy Cowboy Chili

This belly-warming recipe has won Becky Daniels of Springfield, Ohio some local awards, as well as the undying appreciation of her friends and family. The only downside is that now Becky is “forbidden” to come to any family event without it! This family-friendly recipe is mild enough to share with the kids, who love this cheesy treat. This hearty soup is both warming and satisfying, and the corn adds a pleasant touch of sweetness to the pot. Giddy up!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• One (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 2 (15 ounce) cans ranch style beans

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef and drain off fat.
2. In a large stock pot combine browned beef, diced onion, tomatoes with liquid, tomatoes with chilies, corn with liquid, ranch style beans with liquid, and cubed cheese. Simmer on low heat until cheese is melted and the onion is tender.

• Creamy Chicken and White Bean Chili

This delicious, cheesy chili is also surprisingly convenient: you can make it the day before and let the flavors blend overnight in the fridge, and just add the cheese and sour cream and re-warm the chili the day-of. This recipe is also a wonderful way to use leftover roast chicken. But don’t let the convenience fool you–this chili is lick-the-bowl scrumptious!

Bon Appétit!

Photos courtesy of Arria Belli, Icqgirl,