Megan's Chili (Winner of the WKTV first Chili cook-off 2012 WAY TO GO MEGAN!!)

This was so fun to do! I had just finished the second round of testing, so it was perfect timing!  I love how the morning crew is about supporting local functions (The Chili cook-off for the Red Cross, The Foodshed Utica and Slow Food Mohawk Valley) they were all so fun to watch and see the competition edge of each one! Good fun! But for my recipe, as I have said before it really is about local food, you need a good quality base and the farmers at the Shed bring that home every week and I couldn't make what I do with out all of them! Consider taking a class through Foodshed/SFMV to learn how preserve, cook or bake. People may not realize as they eat something made from scratch, they main ingredient is love and hard work and that all starts with great products from all the local farmers, then it is your love and hard work...that taste can only be found with the best local ingredients!

1 lb Sweetgrass hot sausage (bulk or remove from casing)
1 lb Sunnybrook ground beef
2 c dried Adzuki beans
1 c  dried black turtle beans (could use 1/2 c red kidney and 1/2 c black turtle beans)
2 large onions, diced
1 pkg Winter Sun frozen peppers
2 the Farm B/B garlic cloves, minced
2 qts heirloom whole tomatoes (yes the ones you "put up" during the summer)
4 tbsp tomato paste
olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste more if you like hot or you could omit)
**

Sort and rinse the dried beans.Place in a large pot and cover with water by 2". Soak overnight. Next morning drain and set aside.

Slow cook method: ( you do this stove top as well, stir more often and the time maybe less)

Place beans in bottom of slow cooker crock.

In a large skillet heat about 2 tbsp oil over med. heat. Add in diced onion, garlic and peppers ( no need to defrost) season with S/P. Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until they just stat to take on color. Pour this over the beans.

In the same skillet, add in ground beef, using a wooden spoon to chop into smaller pieces. Brown off beef, when just about done add in the cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprika and cayenne, cook for 1 minute then layer over the bean onion mixture.

Again in the same skillet brown off hot sausage in the same manner as the beef. Add this to the crock. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste. Give a quick stir, place lid on cooker. Cook cor 6 hours. Give a stir have way through, adjust seasoning (go easy on the salt, add that closer to the end).

Let finish cooking, again taste and adjust accordingly.

**If you make this when Saranac Seasons greetings is still available, add in a bottle of the Chocolate Lager.