Slow Cooker Vegetarian Cheesy Chili Mac With Optional Ground Beef Food

SLOW COOKER VEGETARIAN CHEESY CHILI MAC WITH OPTIONAL GROUND BEEF

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, beans, onion, garlic, and spices in your Crock Pot. If you're going for the full-on meat version, go ahead and brown your pound of hamburger in a separate frying pan, drain, and add that now, too. You'll add meat later if you're going half veggie/half carnie.
• Cook on low for about 7 - 9 hours. But it's pretty forgiving if you need to cook it for longer.
• Boil the macaroni according to package directions, but cut the time short by a minute or so to make sure it's just nice and al dente, or else the noodles might swell up to epic and less appetizing proportions in the finished product.
• Stir the macaroni, along with half the cheese, into the Crock Pot with the chili.
• For the half veggie/half carnie adaptetarian version, here's where you split it. If you're going all vegetarian or all meat, ignore this step and move on to Step 6. Move half of the cheesy chili maccy goodness into a medium casserole dish. Brown your half pound of hamburger in a separate frying pan, drain it, and stir the hamburger into the mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle over the top with half the remaining cheese, and bake the meaty version at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle all the remaining cheese over the Crock Pot mixture, cover with the Crock Pot lid, and cook for another 20 - 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
• Now get cozy, and enjoy!

CROCKPOT VEGETARIAN CHILI

Steps:

• To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, stirring to combine.
• Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 or until the vegetables are tender.
• Uncover, stir in the lime juice and hot sauce, if using. Taste and add the remaining salt if desired. Serve as is or with any toppings you like.

CROCK POT CHILI MAC

Steps:

• In slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for the macaroni and salt and pepper; mix well.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.
• Stir in macaroni; mix well.
• Season with salt and pepper.