I don’t know about you, but it is tough to find time to cook everyday of the week. I like to try to make things on the weekend and have them for the rest of the week, or make and freeze things to be used at a later date. With holiday season right around the corner, schedules will soon become more hectic than normal and finding quick meals for dinner during the week will be even more important.
Along with the holiday season comes the cool fall weather and football season… so what could be more appropriate than a big pot of chili?! One thing many of us are interested in now days is stretching the dollar. By taking a meal you make for one night, chili for example, and turning it into something else for another meal is a great way to save both time and money. Here are some ideas on how to make that chili into a variety of dishes. Let’s first start with the basic chili recipe:

Basic Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped finely
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (if you like the heat)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried cilantro
Salt/pepper
Pinch of sugar
1 (15-ounce) can black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

What to do:
1. Brown meat in large deep pan until cooked. Drain grease. Add onions and peppers, and garlic, and cook until tender.
2. Stir in tomatoes and juice, plus next 4 ingredients and simmer, uncovered 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, pinch of sugar.
3. Cover and simmer on low for a couple of hours to bring out the tastes. This is a great recipe to cook in the crock pot when you are gone all day at work.
4. Add beans at the very end and cook 10 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with cheese, green onions, and sour cream if desired.

Of course we may all have our own variations that we like best. If you have a different one, feel free to email it to me. I love to stock up on recipes and hand then out to clients who are in need of some meal makeovers! Here are 5 more ways to use your chili for other meals during the week:

Variation #1: Try serving the chili over brown rice or whole wheat pasta for a change – nothing like a chili mac! You can even mix it all together and make a casserole, top it with cheddar cheese, and there you have it!

Variation #2: Take that chili, cook it down a little, and use it for tacos. Even add a little homemade guacamole and you’re all set for meal number three of the week!

Variation #3: If you are trying to incorporate more veggies into your diet, why not make a delicious taco salad. Toss some freshly washed dark leafy greens, top with warm chili, chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh corn, a side of lime, chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. A meal anyone in the family can tweak to make it their own.

Variation #4: Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Make chili rellenos or chili omelets. For option one, just cook up some sunny side eggs and place atop the chili. Or option #2, make your omelet as usual, but use the chili for the inside! This makes a balanced meal to start your day right.

Variation #5: Craving baked potatoes? Top off a small baked potato with some chili and your favorite garnishes…just don’t pass up eating the skin! A potato bar is fun for the kids or for having a group of friends over.

Wasn’t that easy? If you need more ideas for making your dishes last a few nights while still keeping dinner interesting let me know, I’d be glad to help you out!

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