party food

I have always thought chili was just fine…something great to throw on some Fritos or a hot dog. I had no idea how much I could love it. This one is in my top three favorite meals ever, period. And to his credit, this is my husband’s recipe. He has tweaked and played with this recipe, then tweaked it a little more over the years to get it juuuust right. As you’ll see from the ingredients, it does not skimp in flavor. I seriously don’t even put cheese in this chili (and I’m a cheese fanatic) because I don’t want to do anything to distract from its awesomeness.

And yes, I’m revealing the secret ingredient. You would never, ever know that this chili has oats from the flavor or texture, but it adds just enough of a thickening agent to make this even heartier, making it less like a soup and more like, well, chili! It’s been a hit at chili cook-offs for years now, and I’m finally sharing it with you as we approach Superbowl Sunday. Bonus — this can feed a crowd inexpensively, and your party (or you Tuesday – whenever) just won’t be the same without it! ~Robin

1 lb. ground beef
1 large white onion, chopped
7 cloves of garlic, minced
4 T., plus one tsp. chili powder
2 T. cumin
1 T., plus 2 tsp. oregano
1 lg. can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 cans light red kidney beans, drained
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
½ c. quick oats, uncooked
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 tsp. ground Cayenne pepper (adjusting up or down depending on your spice preference)
1 – 2 tsp. salt (Start with one tsp. and adjust to taste in ¼ tsp increments – it’s a lot of food so you may end up going to 2 tsp.)

In a large stock pot, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic on medium heat. Once beef is cooked and any fat drained, add all other ingredients and continue to cook on medium heat until heated thoroughly and has had a chance for the flavors to blend. It just gets better and better leftover (I keep it in my fridge for up to three days). It does freeze very well; I recommend freezing it in small, individual microwave-safe containers so you can grab a serving to take for lunch anytime over the next six months.

WW Info: 4 points/cup on green (9 pts for 2 cups), 1 point/cup on blue (2 points for 1.75, 3 points for 2 cups), and 1 point/cup on purple (2 points for 1.75, 3 points for 2 cups)

It’s almost time for the big game! If you are anything like us, you most look forward to socializing with good friends and enjoying some delicious game-day food! Honestly, I usually don’t even know what teams are playing until the game starts. However, I have the menu planned days, or sometimes weeks, in advance.

This year, to make things easier for everyone, we’ve compiled some of our favorite football watch-party foods, categorized for your convenience! Some are on the healthy side (and include Weight Watchers points) and some are a bit more indulgent. Most of these can be made in advance and warmed in the crockpot or finished in the oven right before game time, so there’s no need to miss any of the game (or commercials) because you’re stuck in the kitchen. Hope you find a few good ones here and, as always, please share with us what you make! We love to hear from you on social media! ~Erin