Morning Dinner Chili

I was so proud of myself Monday. I got dinner ready before I even went to work. The forethought that required, though not much, was really impressive for me who usually tries to figure out what's for dinner on my 2 1/2 minute drive home from work.

I had requested a free sample of Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners, and they came! I needed an excuse to try one out, and chili was just the thing. I seriously would use my crockpot significantly more if it was easier to clean. As it is, the bowl is too big to get into my sink to clean, so scrubbing to cooked-on food is no easy task. I thought I'd give the liner a try. I think my crockpot is the largest bowl that these liners could handle, but it fit. I had read complaints that the liner dislodged the tight fit of the lid, but I actually found that the liner filled in the gaps in my not-quite-tight-enough lid, and so probably improved the result. All in all, I was very happy with the product test. The free sample only came with one liner- I want to go out and buy more now! Their marketing worked!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey (I used turkey. This is a bean-and-tomato-heavy chili. 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of meat can be used, if you like a meatier chili.)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce (I was skeptical about the amount of liquid in the recipe, so I used 2)
Chili seasoning packet (I used a packet. You could make your own)
1 tsp cinnamon (Trust me on this one.)
1/2 C green pepper, chopped

In the morning, brown meat. Combine meat, seasoning, cinnamon, tomatoes (undrained), beans (drained and rinsed), green peppers, and tomato sauce in the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on Low 8-10 hours (or whenever you get home from work).

Serve topped with cheese and/or crushed crackers. Some like chili served over spaghetti, which would need to be cooked fresh, right before dinnertime. A slice or two of crusty bread on the side makes for a nice meal.

Servings: This makes 5+ servings. For the two of us, we eat 2 servings, freeze two, and I put one in a container so I can take it for lunch the next day. This heats up from the freezer VERY well.

The relief that came with having dinner ready when I got home was WONDERFUL. Knowing I didn't have to clean much of anything also added to the relief.