Dinner Diary: No-Fuss Chili

Dinner Diary is a series of posts I write that include quick, simple, everyday recipes that I whip up on most days for my family. In most cases, they can hardly be called recipes since I just go with the flow and dump things into a hot pan. Through this series I’ve tried to show you that no matter what your level of expertise is in the kitchen, making a good healthy meal for yourself and your family is actually quite simple. All it takes, is a whole lot of love and a bit of practice.

Dear Dinner Diary,

You know those kinda days when you wake up with a smile, birds chirping outside, and the slight nip in the air makes you want to snuggle under the covers even more? When your day begins with a ton of inspiration and you realize that it’s actually Friday, so you start to plan a fabulous Tex-Mex inspired feast for dinner that will be enjoyed while watching that latest movie you’ve been so looking forward to? Well, today was NOTHING like that!

I woke up with Baby Dear whining of a tummy ache and bad cough – so school’s out for the day! I managed to calm him down after what seemed like an eternity, and stumbled into the kitchen for that much needed cup of coffee – only to find two measly drops of milk left in the carton. I knew skipping grocery day yesterday would come to bite me. Now I have a sick baby, and not much food!

Once breakfasts were done, we somehow shuffled into the car and rushed to the store for a quick grocery trip. Baby Dear was a riot and insisted on buying bananas, even though we have a few of them already rotting on the kitchen counter. Shopping seemed to take ages, I found out that I forgot my coupons and sales flyers on the dining table, and the cashier couldn’t seem to scan any item without breaking down the machine.

The day miraculously passed us by with a much needed nap included in between. Baby Dear was finally back to his cheerful self. Hubby Dear called to say he would be home early, so that we could do a family dinner and movie night on the couch. And when I looked at the clock, it said 6PM. Dinner was no where in sight and I was done for the day. I felt a slight cough catching on – I may have caught Baby Dear’s bug. But I wanted a warm comforting meal. I needed a warm, comforting meal. So I did my favourite thing – dumped things into a pot and called it a day. The chili was delicious and oh so welcoming!

Hubby Dear decided we needed some chips along with it and whipped up a big batch of his special Nachos. He stuck it into the oven just as I started to ladle out the chili into our bowls. Warm, gooey, cheesy nachos were ready by the time I laid our bowls on the table. All in all, dinner was a breeze to prepare and totally worth it. Which just goes to show, that good food doesn’t have to take much effort. Remind me that, the next time I start to whine at having no set plans for dinner time. Good bye for now Dear Diary, my movie awaits!

No-Fuss-Dump-It-All-In Chili:

Sauté 1 large finely chopped onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic in some cooking oil. Add in 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp oregano powder, 1 tsp paprika powder and 2 tbsp tomato paste. Fry the spices for a few seconds, and then mix in 1/2 lb minced chicken to coat with the spices. Dump in 1 large (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, 2 cups cooked/canned black beans, and 1 cup frozen corn. Season with salt and pepper. Give it all a good stir, and let it simmer for 15-20 mins. Check for seasoning, and serve warm with your choice of toppings.

Tried this recipe? Leave a Comment and let me know, also Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card. Want to share your version with me? Tag me on Instagram @hookedonheat