Crock pot chili with venison sausage recipe

I've always been a big fan of chili, and Mom frequently made it when I was growing up. Sometimes we would eat it by itself, but frequently we used it to top baked potatoes. One of the reasons that I love chili is that you can throw virtually anything into the pot and, assuming you let it simmer long enough, it's delicious. While this version has sausage, I love vegetarian chilis too, and I also enjoy experimenting with a diversity of beans and vegetables. This time I happened to have about a cup of chickpeas in my fridge, so I threw those in. It's different every time I make it, which is probably why I never get tired of it.

Crock pot chili with venison sausage (adapted from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann)

(Printable version)

10 oz. hot bulk venison sausage (or any ground meat)

1 large onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups cooked kidney beans (or 1 can)

1 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1/2 can)

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 cup chicken or veggie stock

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until veggies are tender and sausage is browned. Drain off any fat, and pour this mixture into a medium-sized crock pot (I used a 3 1/2 quart one). Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, stirring occasionally if possible. Serves 4-5.

This was tasty, but make sure to start this on a day when you don't plan on spending much time in the house. It smelled so good while it was cooking that I ended up snacking all afternoon. I wasn't even that hungry by the time the chili was ready, but I definitely ate a bowl of it. I don't know that I liked it as much as the black bean and sausage chili or quinoa and black bean chili that I've made in the last few months, but it was still quite good (hmmm... perhaps I prefer black beans in my chili!). It's perfect if you're looking for a very traditional chili, and the recipe couldn't get any easier.