Hurry Up and Wait

To me, this is the motto of the slow cooker. You do your normal meal preparations, which, let's be honest, can get rather rushed, and then wait while it stews in the Crock Pot for 8 hours. I like to use mine on Sunday, when I have time to wait, so that I'm prepared for the week, when I'm in a hurry.

Of course chili is an old favorite for the slow cooker. Which is probably why my cookbook, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two, dedicates a whole chapter to chili: "The Great American Chili Pot." I made a double recipe since my slow cooker is large, not the 3-quart size for which the book is meant. So far I've eaten it plain, as well as on a baked potato topped with avocado, cheese and sour cream. I (i.e. my tummy) have been quite happy after both versions.

Taking my father's philosophy that chili is a "forgiving dish" I substituted a can of green chilis for the Chipotle in Adobo sauce, since the store was out of that one. I also used Ancho chili powder, since it's all I had around at the time. It probably could have had 2 of the small cans for green chilis, but it came out fine anyway; I also added a can of corn, cumin and a spot of garlic powder when I added the beans to give it some more flavor.

Old-Fashioned Beef and Mushroom Chili with Chipotle
Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes For Two (Beth Hensperger)
Serves 2 with leftovers

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
6 ounces shitake mushrooms (any kind will do though)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 15.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons beer, wine, or water
3 to 4 tablespoons chipotle chili, or to taste (see note below)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese for serving
Sliced avocado for serving
Sour cream for serving

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and cook the onion, celery and mushrooms until limp. And the ground beef and cook until the meat is brown. Sprinkle with some of the chili powder about half way through cooking. Place in the slow cooker and add the tomatoes and their puree, beer, wine, or water, the rest of the chili powder, the chipotle chili paste, Worcestershire Sauce and sugar or honey. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

After 4 hours, add the beans, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for another 3-5 hours. The longer you let it simmer, the better it gets.

Serve the chili in bowls topped with cheese, avocado slices and sour cream.

Note: to make chili paste, pulse chili in adobo sauce in food processor until it becomes smooth; freeze leftovers to use later.