Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Chili #recipe @Vmburns #halloween

 V. M. Burns: The weather in North Georgia has finally gotten the memo that we are in Autumn, at least this week. Next week may be back to Summer. When the temperature drops, then I can't wait to get out my crockpot. I was craving chili and this is one of my favorite recipes. I found this award winning chili recipe for Glenn's Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chili on Pinterest several years ago and have been tweaking it every time I make it. Here are my changes: 1 Tablespoons butter and 4 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil is too much. I cut the olive oil in half. I like garlic, but garlic doesn't like me, so I use one Tablespoon instead of two. I also reduced the heat by using 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes and 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne. In the past, I have used mild Italian sausage instead of hot, but this time I used the hot and it was just the right amount of heat for me. I like sweet with the heat, so I didn't reduce the brown sugar. However, next batch will likely include only 3/4 cup of brown sugar instead of 1 cup. I also think next time I'll try adding a green bell pepper along with the orange for the color. I'm a city girl and was not sure about ground bison, but bison seriously taste like beef, and is leaner. However, I'm sure if you can't find ground bison at your local grocery store, you could probably double the ground beef. 

SWEET & SPICY CHILI

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large orange bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups sweet onions such as Vidalia, diced
• 1 Tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 lb Italian hot sausage, removed from casing
• 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
• 1 lb ground bison 
• 12 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz. tomato sauce 
• 1 16–ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 22–ounce can Bush’s Grillin’ Beans (Bourbon and Brown Sugar)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoons red pepper flakes 
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons smoke paprika
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less for less heat)
• Juice from one lime

Instructions

1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Sauté  bell pepper and onions until onions are translucent (approx. 6-8 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 2 additional minutes. Then pour into the slow cooker.
3. Brown sausage, ground beef and ground bison until no longer pink, then add to slow cooker with the vegetables. 
4. Add all of the other ingredients except lime.
5. Then add all other ingredients to the slow cooker except the lime juice.
6. Stir to mix all of the seasonings with the meat and vegetables, cover and cook on low for approximately five hours.
7. Add the juice of one lime and stir to combine. 
8. Serve with your favorite toppings (i.e. onions, cheese, etc.) NOTE: if the chili is too spicy, try adding sour cream. 

MURDER IS A PIECE OF CAKE

With small town New Bison’s Spring Festival just around the corner, the pressure is on Maddy to continue her late great-aunt Octavia’s legacy. That means scoring the top prize and transforming Baby Cakes into Southwest Michigan’s must-visit bakery, even though her inexperience in the kitchen brings nightmares of humiliating tagged photos and scathing reviews.
 
There’s another reason for lost beauty sleep. A second bakery is opening in town under the ownership of CJ Davenport, a shrewd investor with a reputation for sabotaging anyone who gets in his way. And savvy, flashy Maddy tops his list. It’s a sticky spot to be in—more so when Davenport turns up dead with a Baby Cakes’s knife stuck in his back.
 
Maddy’s whole life just went from #thriving to barely surviving. Now, supported by the crafty Baker Street Irregulars and her new boyfriend, she must find the courage to face off against a killer who could very well get her name trending for the first and last time . . .
 

Praise for Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder
 
“Snappy dialogue, a well-drawn supporting cast and an irresistible canine companion all add delicious flavor. Gulp this book down or savor it, but consuming it will guarantee a sustained sugar high.” —New York Times Book Review