Anyone else out there find it hard to keep the family interested in finishing what is left over from dinner the night before? I HATE throwing away food, and it seems that I can make a huge pot of chili so easily, and yet, it doesn’t disappear as easily… I get sick of eating it for every meal before it goes bad, the hubby finds other more interesting things to eat, and baby… Well, she doesn’t eat chili yet, but if she did I’d imagine she would want something new as well.
So, what do we do to keep those crock pot dump meals simple but ensure they get eaten? Find creative ways to reinvent said chili so it’ll be consumed before the expiration date. That’s what we’ve got here, folks, a delicious solution to your leftover chili problems.
Grab these Ingredients:
3 Bell Peppers (or however many you need for your family.)
Salt N’ Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Leftover Chili
Grated Cheese (I used Cheddar, but you can choose which cheese would go best with your chili)
Optional: An Avocado and Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream (for the dollop on top!)
Follow these Instructions:
Chop Bell Peppers in half and take out the stem and seeds, make sure you keep the bowl-like shape as best you can!
Yes, that is a Utah shaped cutting board… And yes, we love it. Twas an amazing housewarming gift from friends.
Next, place peppers on a baking sheet (I used a pizza pan so the peppers would be able to ventilate, be sure to put aluminum on the bottom of the oven so you don’t make a mess), sprinkled them with salt and pepper and drizzled EVOO on top.
Set the oven on Low Broil and placed them in the center for 10-15 minutes until they were slightly browned.
Pull out the peppers when finished and scoop chili into the bowls while they are still hot, then sprinkle grated cheese on top. Place in oven again for another 10 minutes or until chili is hot and cheese is melted.
And as simple as that, you have lunch the day after you made chili for dinner.
Add some sliced avocado for fun and a dollop of plain greek yogurt or sour cream for good measure. Consume with messy hands and get full bellies in no time! Lunch that looks different enough to trick the kiddos into thinking it’s not leftover, and healthy enough that you keep your motherhood sanity!
Hope this helps simplify your life! Thanks for reading! Comment below with your results or other ideas you have for leftover chili. And…
Just in case you need a little inspiration for making a delicious chili…
Leftover Chili Recipe:
1 lb hamburger (uncooked)
1 large can of baked beans (hint of maple flavor)
3/4 of a huge zucchini squash (chopped)
1 can of corn
1 large carrot (chopped)
Two cups V8 juice (low sodium)
Seasonings included: salt, pepper, hint of cumin, smoked mesquite seasoning, + dash of red chili powder.
Instruction: Combine all in a crock pot, put on low for 6-8 hours or until Hamburger is fully cooked.
