Southwestern Chili

I am not sure why I had chili on my mind because it definitely isn't very chilly here in Indiana - the temperature in my car yesterday afternoon read 108F! But this Southwestern Chili packs so much southwestern flavor, thanks to the green chiles and fire roasted tomatoes, that it makes a great summer meal when topped with fresh green onions and diced avocado. These sweltering temperatures aren't going anywhere for a while so it sounds like a good day to stay inside and cook a big family dinner if you ask me!

Southwestern Chili
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes


Ingredients
2 lb ground beef

1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

2, 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

8 oz canned diced green chiles

1/2 cup water or chicken stock







Directions
-Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.

-Once hot, add the ground beef and brown for 4-5 minutes.

-When the meat has started to brown, add the oregano, cilantro, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well with the browned meat and cook for about 1 minute.

-Stir in the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is translucent (4 or 5 minutes).

-Drain the ground beef mixture to remove fat drippings and transfer to a crock pot. Add the diced tomatoes and green chiles to the crock pot and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

-Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, green onions and avocado.