Studio Night Chili

As I may have mentioned before, I am a high school Art teacher. Every Tuesday during the school year, the students in my Advanced Art classes participate in an after school program that we like to call "Studio Night." It's basically an extended time to work on their projects for an uninterrupted span above and beyond their usual daily 50 minute class periods. Seeing as I am a cook and mom as well as teacher, I hated the idea of growing kids munching on chips or other nutritionally empty foods until they could get home for a late dinner. So I started bringing my crock pot. This chili has become a staple in the Art room and, unbeknownst to my minions, it's jammed with good-for-you stuff that even the picky eaters will schoff down. I have never brought leftovers back home.

Jan's Studio Night Chili

You'll need either leftover cooked beef brisket or fry up a pound of ground beef (strain off fat)
Two 1lb. 11 oz. cans of your favorite beans (pinto and kidney here)
1 1/2 C. canned hominy or frozen corn

One 14.5 oz. can of your favorite diced tomatoes plus one large, fresh tomato if you have it
a large bell pepper
a medium onion
2 celery ribs
a good handful of baby carrots or a couple of full sized carrots
a large baking potato
minced garlic, to taste
pickled jalapeno peppers, optional (we like it hot in Texas)
1 TBS cumin
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp powdered thyme
1 TBS oregano
corn oil

salt to taste
water

Peel the potato and cube. Chop up the other veggies and in a large deep pot, saute all in corn oil on high heat. You want to have some caramelization on the veggies, but not cooked to death. Add the undrained can of diced tomatoes. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. The tomato liquid will deglaze the pan. Add drained hominy or frozen corn and fresh, chopped tomato.

Add spices, jalapenos if you like it hot as we prefer, and salt to taste. Turn off the heat and mix in either the precooked ground beef or chopped brisket (pictured here) and drained beans. 

                                                                             Place mixture into a crock pot. If you need to transport, as I do, don't add any water yet. When I get to school, I'll add about 3 cups of water, set the crock pot to low and let it simmer all day. (The aroma is very motivating for Studio Night attendance!) At times I've added cauliflower and zucchini without any complaints. Imagine teenagers eating healthy--who knew!