Super Easy Chili and Cornbread

Just an intro for those new girls in the ward...

Hi! I'm Whitney. I love to shop (window for now), travel, hang out with my boys, and go for walks and bike rides down our beautiful tree lined streets! Oh, and I have the coolest family ever. Don't you just want to hang out with my sisters and mom?!

















As a way to keep in my weekly grocery budget I have found a few things to be my keys to success:

1. I always make a menu for each breakfast, lunch and dinner. ( i know it sounds like a lot of work, it is! but it's worth it)
2. I make a grocery list of everything I need and make menu adjustments if things seem like they are adding to too much.
3. I have a budget when I go to the store.
4. I NEVER go shopping when I'm hungry :)
5. I make "poor man's dinner" (soup) once a week. I can make a huge batch, beans are cheap, and I can eat it for leftovers all week. I love it because I can try a new soup recipe every week and I don't get bored.






















Cooks Illustrated Simple Beef Chili

Good choices for condiments include diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese.

Makes about 3 quarts, serving 8 to 10

* I almost always buy pre-chopped veggies to save time even though they cost more. Time is money sometimes right?!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef (see variations below)
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
Table salt

1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*I really like spicy food and this is pretty spicy to me so I would cut the pepper flakes and cayenne down A LOT if you are sensitive to the heat.

1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.

***I also make Trader Joe's cornbread mix and double it so it's twice as thick in the pan. Plenty of leftovers, easy and tastes great.