Souper Sunday - Sweet Slow Cooker Chili

I know I have been MIA for a while but it will be worth it. I've been taking some family time and trying to get my pain levels back down where I can cook again. Here is a treat for you to enjoy and it is the start of more fall recipes to come your way.
I received Rudi's new tortilla shells and while they are great as tortilla shells, I wanted to make something different with the too. What I love about their shells is when you warm them the shells puff. Like real tortilla shells! You don't even have to warm them to eat them! I am in the process of trying to convince local stores to carry them so I can have more to experiment with. The recipe that I converted to gluten free was a new one for me but it will be a dish that we will keep making.

Sweet Slow Cooker Chili
adapted from Food Network

What you need:
1-2 lbs of stew meat
1 tsp oil
1 tsp salt
1 (12oz) gluten free beer or soda (I used cream soda)
1 (14-16oz) jar salsa (I used a mild sweet salsa)
4 Rudi's Fiesta tortilla shells, torn into bite size pieces
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
2 cans beans (I used one kidney bean and one black bean)
4 cups broth (veggie, chicken or beef)

Directions:
Add oil to the bottom of a large pot and brown the stew meat. Sprinkle salt onto meat while browning each side of the meat. Remove the meat and place into slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high heat for 8 hours or until meat is tender. Give a final stir and taste for additional spices before serving. The tortilla shells dissolve into the chili and help thicken the chili.

Wonderful Wednesday - Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

This past weekend while we were busy canning corn and soup, we also had tomato sauce going. How? In the slow cooker of course. I'm not one for standing over the stove for hours stirring a pot while it reduces down. I look for short cuts and the slow cooker is the key to this one.




Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce
What you need:
4 lbs tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
2 bell peppers
1 medium onion
1 bunch basil (top part of one plant)
3 cloves garlic

Directions:
Cube the tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and onions in large pieces and place in slow cooker. Rough chop the garlic and add it to the slow cooker as well. Place the basil on top and cover with the lid. Cook on high overnight. The next morning run it through a food mill and place back into the slow cooker. Leave the lid half off and cook on low until your desired thickness is reached. When the thickness is reached taste and add salt, pepper and other spices as desired. I took some and made pizza sauce and left the rest as pasta sauce. When it was cooked down mine filled 2 pints. You can keep them in the fridge or hot water bath them for 35 minutes.

Don't forget there is still a few days to enter the giveaway! You can enter it here!