Thursday, September 10, 2020

Slow Cooker Chili and 145+ Days of Dinner


The last time I shared our family meals, we were just five weeks into quarantine and I was FEELING it. We are now going on pandemic month six and while we ventured out a few times this summer to socially distant staycations and a few outside get togethers with friends, we've largely continued staying home. And while we definitely bumped up ordering out this summer, I've also been largely cooking three meals a day at home. So I've got lots of dinners to share!  

With back to school in full swing this week, I've been on the hunt for new dinners that are delicious but not time consuming. And while the concept of chili is nothing new, this slow cooker version is super yummy and is the perfect addition to your fall dinner rotation. 

Slow Cooker Chili 
(slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven)

Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef + 1 lb Italian sausage (or 2 lbs ground beef)
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped
- 2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 
- 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles 
- 1 cup beer 
- 2 tbsps chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin 
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar 
- 1/2 tsp black pepper 

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic and cook for about 7-10 minutes or until the beef is completely browned, crumbling the beef with a spoon as it cooks. Drain and discard the excess grease. Transfer mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper as you like. 

Top with all your faves! 

*          *          *

Day 1 (M) - Easy Grilled Chicken; grilled veggies skillet potatoes 
Day 2 (T) - Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Veggies; Salmon; sourdough skillet bread with herbs 
Day 3 (W) - grilled filet mignon; roasted cauliflower; leftover potatoes 
Day 4 (Th) - the Mr.'s burgers; salad; hash browns 
Day 5 (F) - dinner out -- Moreland's Tavern 
Day 6 (Sat) - grilled salmon; jasmine rice; roasted green beans 
Day 7 (Sun) - dinner out -- Mintwood Place 

Day 8 (M) - Grilled Flash-Marinated Hanger Steak; roasted sweet potatoes; salad 
Day 9 (T) - sourdough pizza; Broccoli Caesear Salad 
Day 10 (W) - Lamb Meatballs with Feta and Lemon; polenta; grilled veggies 
Day 11 (Th) - All American Chili
Day 12 (F) - charcuterie board 
Day 13 (Sat) - dinner out -- Muchas Gracias 
Day 14 (Sun) - burgers; Brioche Buns; salad; curly fries 

Day 16 (T) - Cam B-Day Dinner! Smoked Salmon Pizza; epic homemade Llamacorn Cake 
Day 18 (Th) - Grilled Balsamic-and-Garlic Flank Steak; salad; potatoes
Day 19 (F) - Seared Salmon with Balsamic-Blistered Tomatoes; rice; green beans 
Day 20 (Sat) - dinner out -- Little Coco's (we order from here A LOT)

Day 22 (M) - grilled sausages; sweet potatoes; corn
Day 24 (W) - Loaded Turkey Taco Bowls 
Day 25 (Th) - Grilled Flash-Marinated Hanger Steak; cauliflower gnocchi; salad 
Day 26 (F) - sourdough pizza 
Day 27 (Sat) - dinner out -- Kaz Sushi 
Day 28 (Sun) - dinner out 

Day 30 (T) - Best Chicken Enchiladas; brown rice 
Day 31 (W) - grilled steaks; baked potatoes; brussels sprouts 
Day 32 (Th) - Lamb Meatballs with Feta and Lemon; brown rice; green beans 
Day 33 (F) - dinner out -- DCity Smokehouse 
Day 35 (Sun) - dinner out -- Perry's 

Day 36 (M) - Skillet Chicken Parmesean; mixed green salad; veggie spirals 
Day 37 (T) - grilled strip steak; roasted veggies
Day 39 (Th) - dinner out -- Lebanese Taverna 
Day 40 (F) - All American Chili
Day 41 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 42 (Sun) - Healthy Beef and Broccoli 

Day 43 (M) - burgers; sweet potato fries; salad 
Day 44 (T) - Easy Pork Carnitas 
Day 46 (Th) - Piri Piri Meatballs 
Day 47 (F) - dinner out -- Little Coco's
Day 48 (Sat) - dinner out -- Meiwah 

Day 50 (M) - Harissa Lamb Pizza; Proscuitto Pizza 
Day 55 (Sat) - dinner out -- Sababa 
Day 56 (Sun) - The Mr.'s burgers; Summer Veggie Pasta Salad (mash up of Easy Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing)

Day 57 (M) - dinner out -- Moreland's Tavern
Day 58 (T) - Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin; sweet potato; green beans 
Day 59 (W) - Lemon Garlic Greek Chicken; cauliflower gnocchi; roasted squash 
Day 61 (F) - sourdough pizza; salad 
Day 62 (Sat) - My B-Day! dinner out -- The Dabney 
Day 63 (Sun) - dinner out -- Little Coco's

Day 65 (T) - Slow Cooker Barbacoa
Day 66 (W) - pan seared salmon; sushi rice; broccoli 
Day 67 (Th) - Grilled Flash-Marinated Hanger Steak; brown rice; green beans 
Day 68 (F) - dinner out     
Day 69 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 70 (Sun) - dinner out -- DCity Smokehouse 

Day 71 (M) - pesto pasta; chicken sausage; salad 
Day 72 (T) - Lemon-Garlic Roasted Chicken; couscous; green beans 
Day 75 (F) - sourdough pizza; salad 
Day 76 (Sat) - dinner out -- Q by Peter Chang 
Day 77 (Sun) - dinner out -- Five Guys 

Day 78 (M) - Chicken Teriyaki; sushi rice; steamed broccoli 
Day 79 (T) - Mojo Meatballs; grilled veggies; tostones 
Day 80 (W) - pan seared salmon; orzo with veggies and feta; green beans 
Day 81 (Th) - Lamb Bolognese; caesar salad 
Day 82 (F) - dinner out 
Day 83 (Sat) - grilled burgers 
Day 84 (Sun) - dinner out -- Lebanese Taverna 

Day 85 (M) - pesto pasta; grilled sausages; caesar salad 
Day 86 (T) - sourdough pizza; salad 
Day 87 (W) - Korean Beef Bowl 
Day 88 (Th) - dinner out -- Perry's 
Day 89 (F) - Grilled Balsamic Chicken; roasted broccoli; sweet potatoes with pesto 
Day 90 (Sat) - dinner out -- Zenebach 
Day 91 (Sun) - dinner out -- Joe's Stone Crab 

Day 92 (M) - pasta with leftover grilled chicken; grilled vegetables 
Day 93 (T) - burgers; salad; sweet potato fries 
Day 94 (W) - sourdough pizza; salad 
Day 95 (Th) - dinner out -- Nando's 
Day 96 (F) - dinner out 

(we went to my in laws in New Jersey for a few weeks, so there were a bunch of dinners there that I didn't cook) 

Day 97 (Sat) - shrimp scampi 

Day 99 (M) - sourdough pizza 
Day 100 (T) - grilled burgers 
Day 101 (W) - grilled salmon and sushi rice 
Day 102 (Th) - blue crabs + oysters -- Barbera Seafood Market
Day 103 (F) - grilled chicken; caesar salad 
Day 104 (Sat) - Lamb Bolognese 
Day 105 (Sun) - grilled chicken; tuna; sushi rice

Day 106 (M) - Easy Pork Carnitas 
Day 107 (T) - grilled steak; twice baked potatoes 
Day 108 (W) - rotisserie chicken; couscous; salad  
Day 109 (Th) - burgers; fries; salad 
Day 110 (F) - dinner out 
Day 111 (Sat) - Pesto Meatballs 
Day 112 (Sun) - chicken soup and grilled cheese 

Day 114 (T) - dinner out -- Tony's Baltimore Grill 

(Back home!)

Day 115 (W) - pesto pasta; grilled Italian chicken; green beans
Day 116 (Th) - Grilled Halibut with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette; couscous; roasted broccoli and tomatoes 
Day 117 (F) - burgers; salad 
Day 118 (Sat) - dinner out -- Old Ebbitt Grill 
Day 119 (Sun) - dinner out -- Blackwall Hitch

Day 122 (W) - dinner out -- Little Coco's
Day 123 (Th) - grilled Italian chicken; salad 
Day 125 (Sat) - dinner out -- Duke's Counter 
Day 126 (Sun) - dinner out -- Moreland's Tavern 

Day 127 (M) - grilled filet mignon 
Day 128 (T) - Matzo Ball Soup
Day 129 (W) - dinner out - Pi Pizza 
Day 132 (Sat) - dinner out -- Little Coco's
Day 133 (Sun) - dinner out -- Le Diplomate 

Day 134 (M) - Slow Cooker Chili 
Day 135 (T) - Grilled King Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish; cauliflower gnocchi; green beans 
Day 136 (W) - Sunbasket Greek Meatballs with Tomato-Cucumber Salad 
Day 137 (Th) - Sunbasket Catalan Chicken with Green Romesco and Spanish Green Beans 
Day 138 (F) - Maryland crab dinner on the Eastern Shore 
Day 139 (Sat) - steak dinner on the Eastern Shore 

Day 141 (M) - dinner out -- Meiwah 
Day 142 (T) - Back Pocket Bolognese 
Day 143 (W) - grilled sausages; baked potato 
Day 144 (Th) - dinner out -- Little Coco's
Day 145 (F) - dinner out in NJ -- Angelo's 
Day 146 (Sat) - grilled BBQ chicken 
Day 147 (Sun) - the Mr.'s burgers