Italian Chili with Pasta

 So good on a cold winter's night!

Since Hubby had a late meeting (after work) last  night, and I've been fighting a sore throat all week, homemade soup in the crockpot seemed like a logical choice!  Early in the day, I got out my Texas skillet and the ingredients and got started chopping celery, onions and garlic.  It was time to make Italian Chili with Pasta (its fancy name is,"Pasta e Fagioli"). This is sooo good when it's cold out!  I like to serve it with garlic bread.

My Italian Chili with Pasta

1 lb. ground beef

Chopped:  (1 large) onion, 3 stalks celery and 3 cloves of garlic

2 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

Large can of chicken broth (Swanson)

2 cans (Hunts) stewed plum tomatoes, broken up

1 can tomato sauce (I like Hunts)

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can cannelloni (white beans)

Shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

Firm pasta cooked in well-salted water

  In a large skillet, saute onion, celery and garlic in 1 TBSP of olive oil until translucent.  Brown beef in the same pan 

And add seasonings at the end. 

  Dump skillet contents into a sprayed crockpot.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce and the beans.  Cook on low all day.  

  Right before serving, cook a firm pasta like elbow macaroni just until it's done (do not overcook...and use enough salt in your pasta water!). Drain pasta.  Put a scoop of hot pasta in each bowl.  Top with chili and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.  Don't forget that garlic bread!

Marcia's Extra Fiber Chili

    

Nothing goes better with football games on TV than a cup of hot chili and crispy saltine crackers.  I like a hearty, thick chili with lots of spice and beans.   Here's how I make my spicy fiber-filled chili;  delicious and healthy!

Marcia's Extra Fiber Chili

-Brown 1 lb. of extra lean ground beef (or ground turkey) in a large skillet.  Add  1/2 chopped large Vidalia or red onion, 2 stalks chopped celery, 4 cloves of garlic that's minced.  Cook until meat is done through.  Season to taste with garlic salt and black pepper.  Add  crushed red pepper to taste and 1/2 C wheat germ to meat mixture.  Finally, add 1/2-1 can of vegetarian, no-fat refried beans.  Stir until mixed smoothly with the meat.

-Coat your crock pot with cooking spray.  Dump in the meat mixture from the skillet, 1 or 2 large cans of tomato sauce (depending on how soupy you like your chili).  Next, add 1 can dark red kidney beans and juice from the can and 1 can canellini (white) beans and juice from the can.    Add a teaspoon or two of sugar to mellow the tart taste of the tomato sauce.  Check seasoning to make sure it's to your taste.  Put lid on and turn crock pot to LOW to cook for several hours. I put mine on in the morning for dinner (football games) that evening.

-Serve with shredded cheddar, sliced jalapenos, chopped onion, sour cream... 

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