A year ago, I made cornbread and taco soup for a friend.  When she recently mentioned that her boyfriend loved the cornbread, I decided to make him another batch.  I like this recipe for Sweet Corn Bread from All Recipes.com.  I figured that I couldn’t just give him some cornbread, so I made a simple beef crockpot chili to go with it.  The BOY loves chili, but he isn’t great about eating leftovers after 2-3 days, so it was a double bonus.  Dinner for the BOY and a side for my cornbread.

 

 

I haven’t found an easy crockpot beef chili recipe that I liked, so I just made up my own, with some input from the BOY of course.  The result was a HUGE success!

Into the Crockpot:

1 lb ground beef

1 can dark red beans

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans in chili sauce

1 steam bag of corn

 

 

 

 

Your chili seasonings:

Chili powder

Cumin

Garlic

Red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

 

 

Giving everything a stir when I remembered…

 

 

Onion!!!

 

 

Can you even make chili without it???

 

 

 

Cook according to crockpot directions. 

Meanwhile, get started on your corn muffins.

 

 

 

 

So that when your chili is ready…

 

 

You’ll have something sweet to eat with it!

 

 

 

With some leftovers and extras to share with your friends.

 

 

 

Cutest ToGo box EVER!

 

 

 

Basic Beef Crockpot Chili

Trust me, if I can figure out beef chili, it is pretty simple

Plus, this recipe has the BOY’s seal of approval on taste!

 

Ingredients

1 lb 85/15 ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 bag steamed or 1 can corn

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans in chili sauce

1 cup water

Optional: chili or adobo peppers for heat.

Chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper

 

Directions

Cook beef on a heated skillet, sprayed with cooking spray until browned.  Drain and place beef in crockpot.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, adjusting seasonings to taste.  Set per crockpot instructions. 

Tastes even better Day 2.  Freezes well.

 

 

Sweet Corn Bread (or Muffins)

From All Recipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the egg, sour cream, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

2. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

NOTE: When making muffins, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Makes 12 muffins!