Cheater! Crock Pot White Bean Chili

So Ms. Fig posts her recipe for Pomegranate Jelly and labels it a "cheater version" for using bottled pomegranate juice? I commented that using bottled juice is no more a cheat than using canned chicken stock in soup, something I do most of the time I make it. (Although to do soup it up with this demi-glace. It is expensive but worth every penny it if you are like me and don't do enough roasting to keep your stock stockpile up to levels. Technically, store bought demi-glace is cheating too so two cheats must make a right. They make beef too so buy some of that too. Who even eats enough beef to make their own demi-glace?)

This has really got me thinking on just what IS a cheat in cooking anyway?

Last night I made a batch of white bean chili which certainly must qualify as the only fresh ingredients are 1 jalapeno pepper and a few cloves of garlic. In addition to using canned chicken stock it calls for canned white beans. Its been ages since I soaked and cooked my own beans for a dish. Tomatoes? Canned. Corn? Frozen. Just about everything in here is bought off the shelf like Ms. Figs juice. At yet somehow, after simmering for hours in a crockpot this chili comes out amazing and nothing that would would think was a cheat. (A crock pot is cheating too since some of the best chili is made in a dutch oven IN the oven. )

Oh, and check out the plastic crock pot liners! Disgusting cheat there too! (I got a sample in the mail and wanted to try those out. I'm not sure about the safety but sure made the clean up a breeze!)

I don't use my crock-pot very often. I got it so I could come home to a ready dinner back when I was single but it turned out I didn't really like food that had been cooking for 10 hours. Go figure. But the thing is made for cooking chili so I keep it even though it gets more than its share of kitchen cabinet space.

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 TBL olive oil
  
• 2 boneless chicken breast halves, diced
• 12 to 16 ounces chicken sausage or turkey sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups tomatillo salsa (I use the kind from the 'fresh' case but jarred will work too.)
  
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper, optional

Preparation: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, diced chicken, and sliced sausage; sauté until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Put the drained beans in a 4 to 6-quartcrock pot; add the skillet mixture and all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving. Serves 6.

I'd show you a picture of it all plated and garnished but this batch was portioned out for this week's lunches and a future dinner or two.