Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef 85-90%
1 white onion finely diced
1 green pepper finely diced
2 tablespoons garlic paste or 3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons chili powder more to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
16 oz can dark kidney beans drained
16 oz can light kidney beans drained
16 oz can white kidney beans/Cannellini beans drained
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
2 teaspoons salt more to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
½ ounce dark chocolate bar 60-75% bittersweet baking chocolate
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce optional
sour cream optional topping
cheddar cheese optional topping
corn chips optional topping
scallions optional garnish

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef to the pan and cook until brown, breaking the beef up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Drain the beef and add it to a slow cooker.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan with the diced onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic paste, chili powder, cumin, and paprika to the skillet with the vegetables and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beans, chocolate and beef stock to the slow cooker and stir in the sugar, salt, and pepper.

Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours or low for 5 to 6.