Winter cookbook: Slow cooker chili con carne with Parmesan cornbread recipe

This recipe usually calls for a cheaper cut of beef, but all I had on hand was sirloin steak. It turned out delicious! And nothing goes better with authentic con carne than cornbread.

Dinner was made easy by the use of my slow cooker and bread machine.

Find everything you need to make this complete meal at your local Meijer.

• 1-2 lb sirloin steak
• Red Chile Sauce (recipe follows)
• 2-3 cups beef broth
• 1/2 t each salt and pepper
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1-2 t oregano
• 1 t cumin
• salt to taste

1. Turn slow cooker on high.
2. Layer the beef in the slow cooker, cover with water and add salt, pepper, garlic, onion, bay leaves, oregano and cumin. Cook on high til meat is tender, about 3 hours.
3. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
4. Whisk the red chile sauce into the liquid. Add additional salt to taste.
5. Stir in the meat. Cook one hour more.

Red Chile Sauce

• 2-3 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• salt to taste
• 2 T oil
• 1 T flour
• 1 t oregano, rubbed

1. Place chiles, water and garlic in a small saucepan on high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 20 minutes, or til chiles are thoroughly softened.
3. Blend in the blender.
4. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat oil on medium low heat. Add flour while whisking and cook til mixture darkens to the color of peanut butter.
5. Whisk in chile mixture, continuing to whisk til smooth. Taste and add salt as desired.
6. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in oregano.

Parmesan Cornbread

• 1 cup water
• 2 t vegetable oil
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 t sugar
• 3/4 t salt
• 1 t yeast

1. Add the ingredients to the bread machine according to the manufacturer's directions for a 1 1/2 lb loaf set on the basic white bread cycle.
2. Serve con carne with buttered corn bread.