When the weather heats up and the outdoors calls, it’s nice to have a meal waiting for you back home. This recipe allows you to spend long, lazy summer days doing fun things rather than heating up your kitchen. You couldn’t get any easier than this chili, which requires no prebrowning of meat, soaking of beans or other annoying steps. A great combination of seasoned chili and soft, pillowy cornbread, this meal is plain fare that sure to please. Serve with extra shredded cheese, if desired.

Chili
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 pound lean ground beef (optional)
1 1/2 dried beans (we used black beans for this recipe)
4 c water or stock
2 tbsp (about 1 oz or 28.3 g) Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
1 tsp each paprika, cumin, cilantro, and oregano
1 tbsp cocoa

Topping
1 recipe Better Batter Jiffy Mix Cornbread Mix Clone, mixed as per directions
1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese
1/4 c chopped jalapenos, optional.

To make: In your 5-6 quart or larger slow cooker mix together chili ingredients, until evenly combined. You may mix ground beef as fine as you wish – for a chunkier chili, leave the beef in chunks, for a smooth chili, mix it evenly into the water.

In a separate bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Spread evenly over the top of the chili ingredients.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or until beans are softened, or on high 4-5 hours.

Cornbread will seem very moist when you first open the cooker and will ‘fluff’ ie dry a bit on standing.