Easy Slow Cooker Chili

larchie's Note:

Life circumstances are such that, here lately, I don't have much time to cook in the evenings, but I can run home at lunch to start getting dinner ready - and, thus, I've been looking for more slow cooker recipes that don't require much prep work before they enter the slow cooker. I found this recipe through cooking light, and altered it some to our tastes and to a Cook's Illustrated article - and the final product came out great! It was easy, doable over a lunch break, and very, very, very tasty.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb ground beef, lean and preferably grass fed
• 1 onion, yellow and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 6 ounces beer, about half a beer
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained and organic
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• jalapeno and white cheddar cheese (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef over medium-high heat in a large, non-stick skillet; stir to crumble and cook until meat is browning. Add onion and next 7 ingredients, and continue to saute until onion is tender.
2. Place meat mixture in slow cooker; stir in beans, tomatoes, and jalapeno.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.