Chili....really quick!

Last night I was smart and sorted through a rather large bag of pinto beans, got out all the rocks, rinsed them and put them in my crock pot (turned off) to soak all night.  Even smarter, I remembered them this morning! Rinsed them off again, put them back in the crock pot and this time turned it on at the 8 hour setting and went to work!

When I got home at 4:00 today I was greeted with a large pot of pintos that were soft and yummy.  I put in a stick of butter and let that melt.  While this was melting, in a separate pot on the stove I put in a pound of ground chuck (poor chuck) and an onion, chopped to cook.  I also added about four cloves of garlic, smashed and minced.  Once the chuck (poor chuck) was done, I added two small cans of Hunt's Tomato paste and some of the liquid from my crock pot of pintos.  I also added chili powder and my very favorite chipoltle chili powder, more beans and liquid from the crock pot and one can of V-8 tomato/veggie juice. 

This has blended into a very flavorful, tomato-ey chili.  While it simmers on the stove and deepens in flavor, I threw in a batch of cornbread.  All of this delicious food is heading to the nursing home.  I know my sweet momma and  Uncle Buck will enjoy the homemade food.  Well....not ALL of it is going.  I have to feed teenagers and the hubs too!  It was fast and it is healthy and that makes me a happy mom!