Are you ready for some Football Chili?!?

To all you football widows out there, this recipe is for you! It will get your hubby and his friends away from the flat screen on Sundays and into the kitchen to dig in. You can double for more people and add your own flair, but this is the basic recipe. Most ingredients you'll be able to find locally and put your crock-pot to use (bonus appliance use!!). And in my house, crock pot= fall=football season. You do the math.

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Tracy who hates to measure stuff.

Crock Pot Football Chili

1 regular package of ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 onion (red, yellow or white), diced
1 or 2 bell peppers, diced (I like red, though green are readily available in Tunisia)
Garlic cloves, minced (1 or 2 will do)
1 packet of Chili seasoning (Sorry, this is something you may have to get at the commissary or on Netgrocer. You can also use taco seasoning).
1 big a** can of diced tomatoes
1 normal can of kidney beans
1 regular can of pinto beans
Optional: jalapeno peppers, red chili flakes (If you like your chili hot, use 'em!)

Cook veges in pan for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add ground beef to pan and cook until brown. Mix seasonings and stir. Dump the mixture into the crock pot. Add diced tomatoes and beans to mixture and set on high for 1-2 hours or until heated throughout. Serve plain or with cheddar cheese, Frito's, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, or sour cream.

I love the beans in this recipe, but you can leave them out if you don't. Also, if you can't get your hands on onions or peppers, that's ok too. The seasoning packet usually has dried onions in it. When you use both the beans and the veges, the recipe is super hearty.