Beer & Bacon Chili

For my husband's birthday, I threw a beer & bacon bash.  You can read more about the party here, but the star of the show was the beer & bacon chili.

November seems to be the best time of year for chili, but this chili is so good, you will want to eat it year round.  Here are the ingredients you will need. 

* 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 chopped green bell pepper
* 1 chopped small white onion
* 1 minced garlic clove
* 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package chili seasoning mix
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 (16 ounce) can flavored pinto beans
* 1 (16  ounce) can kidney beans (rinsed)
* 1 bottle of Guinness (you can substitute your favorite brew if you'd like)
* 1 package of your favorite bacon
* salt & pepper to taste (I just sprinkled across the top of the chili once I had everything else assembled)

1. Saute onions and bell peppers in olive oil until tender.
2. Add ground beef and brown slowly over low heat, stirring often.
3. Add garlic and cook until ground beef is thoroughly cooked.
4. Add chili seasonings, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper & saute for a few minutes, coating the beef with the spices.
5. Pour the ground beef/spice mixture into your crockpot.
6. Add in the tomatoes, both beans and beer. I cut up the bacon into pieces & threw it in here as well, although you can cook the bacon before you throw it in if you would rather it have a crunchy consistency.
7. Mix everything together in the crockpot & add in the sugar.
8. Cook on the high setting for the crockpot (usually 4 hours), stirring occasionally.
9. Before serving, add salt and pepper.

This chili is amazing with a little added cheese & those little chopped green onions. I'm not a sour cream lover, but my husband loved adding a dollop to his chili. Serve this with beer & bacon cornbread...you won't regret it.  : )  lovefoodies.com has a great recipe here or see it below.  It was amazing!

Beer & Bacon Cornbread
Dry Ingredients
* 6 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
* 1 1/2 cup corn meal
* 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Wet Ingredients
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/3 cup sour cream
* 1 cup beer (I used Guinness to go along with the Guinness in the chili)
* 1/2 cup melted butter

Topping
* 1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl & mix, then combing all the wet ingredients in another bowl & mix.
2. Once mixed, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients & add in the bacon.
3. Pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan & spread evenly.
4. Add the cup of cheese to the rop
5. Bake at 375 for 30 -35 minutes.
6. Enjoy with delicious beer & bacon chili. : )

See these posts for more info on this party
Beer & Bacon Party Food
Beer & Bacon Party Decorations
Beer & Bacon Chili