Chili for 40+ - A Photo Story

Today it was our turn to cook for the Blessing Center, and just for fun, I documented the process in photos.  Enjoy!

First, acquire and assemble the ingredients...for this time, Primo pasta sauces were on sale...

Brown the meat...I usually do this the night before, in two batches of three pounds each.

There are a few essential tools.  One, this roasting pan, that for chili serves as a giant slow-cooker.

Secondly, some utensils.  A heavy-duty stirring spoon, spatula, and a soon to be over-worked can-opener!

The chopped veggies...

Six cans of beans, drained and rinsed.  Two cans each of red, white and black beans.

Repeatedly tell the Mindy-Kitty that none of the 18 (yes, 18) cans that you just opened were tuna, and that she should stop meowing now!

Add it all to the slow-cooker...

Don't forget the meat...

And mix well.  Cook for about 6 hours.

Clean up the mess you made.

Sometime towards the end of the cooking time, I add the spices.

This time, (for the sake of a picture :)), I mixed all the spices before adding them to the chili.  Combined, it amounted to 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup of spices!  Mostly chili powder.

The finished product!

Now, the real challenge - transporting it to the Blessing Center.  Last time Rob and I had the idea of putting bungee cords around the roasting pan, and it works really well.  Since the lid on the roasting pan does not seal at all, and it is very full.  So, we wrap old towels around it, and bungee it tightly.  Doesn't really look like a meal, anymore does it?  However, the aromas are not contained!

Serve the meal to the guests at the Blessing Center with friends, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

There are always two people providing food each time it is our church's turn to provide a meal at the Blessing Center.  The other cook sent along chili this time too.  Chili is probably one of the easiest meals to make in such large quantities.  Certainly a lot easier than shepherd's pie (containing 6 lbs ground beef and 14 lbs potatoes! :))  I've made shepherd's pie before too...let's just say that 14lbs potatoes need a lot of mashing!