Tasty Tuesday: Cheesy Hash Brown Chili

Last week I shared my food related goals for October.  One of those goals was to post at least two "good for game day" recipes, and this Cheesy Hash Brown Chili is the perfect meal for a day of lounging around the house watching football (or a million episodes of whatever show you're currently addicted to on Netflix).

So delicious and so comforting!

I made this meal once several years ago, but I'd completely forgotten about it.  I was looking for something different to make using ground beef, and when I couldn't find anything that appealed to me online, I started flipping through an old notebook that I remembered jotting some recipes in a long time ago.  When I saw this Cheesy Hash Brown Chili, I knew I had to make it again!

The first time I made it, I followed the recipe exactly.  I was still learning a lot when it came to cooking, and I definitely wasn't confident enough to make any changes to recipes!  These days, it's rare for me to follow a recipe exactly.  I usually will if I can't think of anything that would make it better or if it's a dessert (though even then I'll sometimes make a few changes) ... But typically I'll try to, at the very least, tweak the flavors a bit.

I'm so glad I decided to do that this time around!  It's amazing what a few extra spices can do to make a recipe go from good to great.  And I promise ... This recipe is great!  (If I do say so myself.)

So if you're looking for something warm, comforting, delicious, and perfect for game day, this is the meal for you!

Seriously ... Make this soon!

Cheesy Hash Brown Chili

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on The Rachael Ray Show.


Ingredient List:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
• 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 lb frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp Mexican oregano
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot sauce)
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.

3.  Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant.

4.  Add the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, paprika, Mexican oregano, black pepper, and sea salt.  Cook until the meat is mostly browned, breaking it up as it cooks.

5.  Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined with the meat, onion, garlic, and spices.

6.  Stir in the hot sauce, red kidney beans, diced green chilies, diced tomatoes (with their juices), and water.  Bring the chili to a boil.

7.  Partially cover the skillet and turn the heat to low.  Allow the chili to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.  Pour the chili into the prepared dish, making sure to spread it as evenly as possible.

9.  Add the frozen hash browns, again spreading them as evenly as possible, then sprinkle the cheese over the entire dish.

10.  Bake the chili for 30-35 minutes (I baked mine for 30 minutes), or until the chili is bubbling and the cheese has completely melted and browned a bit.

I served this with a side of Steamfresh vegetables in an effort to make the meal a little healthier.  (And because I'm not very creative when it comes to side dishes.)