Have you ever had one of those moments where you weren’t really happy with how something turned out but you went ahead and pushed forward anyway? That’s kinda how I feel about these photos. I tried so many different props. White board, no white board. Zoom, no zoom. This chili just wasn’t having a photographic moment. To hell with it. I am going to post this recipe anyway. Yup, that’s me. I tend to do that from time to time. I know a lot of bloggers out there will scrap the recipe until they get the perfect photo. But you know what? I am not a photographer. I am STILLLLLL learning how to use the camera a year later. I am still trying to figure out how to get great pictures in my house. The sun only shines through my main window for so long. Now, it’s starting to get a little grey.
Speaking of the weather,its getting cooler. That means it’s chili time! I am a huge fan of chili. I get to use my homemade canned tomato and it brings me a lot of joy. It also brings me a lot of joy to take dry beans and create yummy meals out of them. I guess I am just weird like that. 😉
Even growing up in the south I still ate a lot of chili even though our winters weren’t as harsh as the winters up here in Michigan. I love to pair my chili with homemade cornbread. Sooooo good. Such comfort food. If beef chili isn’t your think you can leave it out or substitute ground turkey like I did in this turkey chili recipe.
I used my own chili powder. It’s so easy to  make and I bet you have most, if not all, the ingredients in your cabinet!
- paprika
- garlic powder
- cayenne pepper
- onion powder
- dried oregano
- ground cumin
- In a zip top bag or empty shaker container add 1 TBSP of each of the ingredients.
- Shake together.
- Use a pinch at a time.
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Another thing about me, I tend to have things I make from memory never turn out the same way twice. When I cook chili on the stovetop it tends to be a bit more wet. This particular chili is sticky. Husband tends to like his food a little less wet. If you like it more wet you can add water to your crockpot.
I used dry beans for this so you will want to make sure you soak your beans overnight if you plan to use dry beans, too. Â I also brown the hamburger first.
- 1 bag dry red kidney beans
- 1 lb hamburger
- 2-3 jars of homemade canned tomato or 6-8 cans of stewed tomato
- chili powder
- Soak your beans overnight.
- Drain.
- Cook the ground hamburger.
- Put the hamburger and beans in the crockpot.
- Add the canned tomatoes.
- Sprinkle chili powder over top. Start with a little. You can add more as it cooks to suit your tastes.
- Day 1 cook 8 hours.
- Day 2 cook 2-4 hours.
It does take a little bit of work, but the result is a whole lot of comfort in your bowl!Â
The chili sounds awesome. And yes, I have those moments all the time and end up settling. And then complain about it incessantly LOL.
This looks delicious and hooray for turkey meat – we don’t eat red meat and was thrilled to find a turkey chili recipe!
I LOVE homemade chili on a cold dreary day! This sounds so good!
Sounds like a good recipe! My food pics are never impressive. But the recipes are good!
I definitely have days where my food is just not working with my camera. Or my camera isn’t working with me. Either way, this chili sounds awesome.
I would LOVE to make my own chili powder. Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ll add it to my to do list before we make our first pot of chili!!
You are very welcome!
I love that you make your own homemade canned tomato, things made myself always seem to taste so much better.
Sounds like really awesome chili. And to think it was done in a crockpot
I love making chili in my crock pot. So easy and delicious!
I’ve never made my own chili before. I love that you included a recipe for the chili powder. I think I’d want to give this a try since I do prefer my meals to be homemade but I’d surely have to skip out on the hamburger since I’m a vegetarian. However thanks for the recipe! 🙂
I have made this exact recipe with Boca crumbles for a vegetarian version. Turned out just as good and even my family liked it!
One of my favorite things about fall is that it’s chilli season! I ove that I can cook it in my crockpot and just forget about it!
We love chili when the weather is cool with some cornbread. I love that this is made in the crockpot. I’m sold on this recipe. 🙂
Chill season means its about to get chilly! Hello Fall, per usual your recipe sounds amazing!
I love making my chili in the crock pot so simple and delicious!
My husband doesn’t cook often but if there is one thing he loves to make – its chili! I’m going to share this recipe with him. It looks so good!
Yum! This is the perfect comfort food meal for chilly fall days!
Thank you for giving me a reason to break out the crock pot! This looks awesome!
Simple and delicious, chili is welcome at our house any time of the year! I love that the ingredients list is very basic
I Pinned this for later. I’ve never thought about making chili in the crockpot I will definitely be trying this one out soon!
Thank you for the pin!
We have crockpot meals at least 2 days a week regardless of the season and more than that in the fall and winter. What delicious-sounding crockpot chili recipe. I use dry beans, too, so it’s too late to try today. I’ll start this on Sunday and we’ll celebrate Monday Night Football with delicious homemade chili.
I really should take advantage of my crock pot more, but I do like to cook!
My husband LOVES chili so much! Thanks for this easy slow cooker recipe!
I love anything you can make in the crock pot and this looks super yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Oh yummy!!! I can’t wait until it’s cooler so I can really enjoy chili like this!
Ohhhh… that looks good. I made white chicken chili last week but didn’t use my crockpot. I love crockpot cooking. Throw the stuff in, leave… come back and it’s done.
I love crockpot meals like this, they are so simple and easy to make. Chili is one of my favorite things to eat in the whole world!
I just purchased the stuff to make chili this morning but I like the combination of spices you use better. I can not wait to try this out this weekend.
Oh this chili sounds good! I still do not own a crock pot. Whatever am I waiting for? I can’t take a picture to save my life much less download it onto my computer—-
Tis the season. I absolutely LOVE chili!
I love crock pot chili! I made some last week! Thanks for the recipes. I especially want to try the homemade chili powder!
We live in the south also. Cornbread and Chili is an all time favorite!
We usually make homemade skillet cornbread with out chili. Sooooo yum and kiddo loves to make it on her own now.
This seems a good one to try for lunch, haha! Yummy.
I have a hard time with my food photos too. As far as the chili, my hubby usually cooks it for us on the stove but this crockpot recipe is something I’d like to try.
Right now my biggest problem is natural light. Just when I finally was getting some great pics, fall had to appear and I don’t have large windows for natural light. So, I am going to have to buy one. My other issue is staging the photo. While I have been collecting small plates, blows, silverwear and textures, I have no idea how to put it together sometimes. So, my stuff just sits on the wooden board. So boring.
I giggled when you said that no meal turns out the same twice. That is so me! This sounds really good. Crockpot chili is one of my favorite fall meals!
We should start a recipe website ” Never the Same” and document each recipe and that way people will see , it’s never the same way twice! LOL
This chili is so getting made tomorrow. I’m tempted to run right out for the ingredients now.
I love using my crock pot I don’t make chilly with red sauces but I do make a white chicken chili. If I could eat tomatoes I probably would make this one as it looks very good.
We just made turkey chili this week! Instead of my usual I used chili powder this time 🙂
Chili isn’t meant to be pretty, LOL. But you did a great job. I love the recipe for chili powder. I have all of those ingredients at home and I am going to make some of that and see how it compares to the store bought chili powder I use.
I hope you like making your own!
It’s for sure getting to be chili time! Cold yucky weather always makes chili taste better, right?
We love chili! I love just about everything you can throw in a crock pot! Thanks for this!
Oh my husband would be over the moon if I attempted to make this. It sounds just delicious! I am not a chili eater but my kids and husband LOVE it! May have to try it for them when I can grab all the ingredients!
This looks so good! It’s a perfect fall and winter recipe.
I just made the family crock pot chili the other night. Great minds think alike. 🙂
Yes they do!
I think it looks delicious!! I wish I had a better camera myself.
I have a dslr and for the last year I have been trying to really learn how to use it. I get a little frustrated. LOL
We have been eating a lot more crock pot recipes lately because it’s been getting colder here. Your chili recipe is similar to how I make mine. It looks delicious!
I love anything I can make in the crockpot and this time of year is perfect for chili! I will have to make this soon since the weather is finally starting to cool off in our neck of the woods,
It’s been a little chilly (see what I did there? LOL) here in the evening. Over the weekend I thought winter was coming. It was nice today until it started to rain. So, its only a matter of time before the snow starts to fall.
the weather is perfect for this. I’ll have to run to the store for meat to make this tonight
Let me know how it turns out for you!
Sounds like a good recipe. My pics don’t always turn out either.
Chili is my favorite part of fall! Crock pot chili def is the way to go!
We make chili at least once a week, white chili too. We love experimenting with different flavors.
love the fact I have all the ingredients. Think I’ll make this tomorrow. I’ve been wanting to but didn’t have a recipe. 😉