Taco Chili

This is not a usual post about the goings on of my family, but while I was eating dinner tonight, I thought, 'I need to post this recipe.'  We call it Taco Chili and it has a lot of reasons why I feel the need to share
Reason #1 -It's tasty.
Reason #2- It's pretty cheap to make
Reason #3- It's a hearty meal and very filling
Reason #4- I'm not an expert, but I'm fairly certain it's gluten free
Reason #5- It's EASY
Reason #6- My kids eat it.
Reason #7- There are many many ways to mix and match the ingredients

So first I will share the recipe as I learned it, but at the end I'm going to share the different variations I have found work really well.

TACO CHILI
Combine together in crockpot:
        - 1 can tomato sauce
        - 1 can diced tomatoes
        - 1 can corn (drained)
        - 2 cans chili beans
        - 1/2 lb. ground beef cooked
        - 1 envelope of taco seasoning
Cook it on low for 3-4 hours Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese. Serve with tortilla chips

Variations:
Tomato Sauce and Diced Tomatoes - I have used all sorts of variations of these, depending what I have on hand. I've used only diced tomatoes because I didn't have any sauce, I've used tomato sauce WITH diced tomatoes. But seriously anything works. My favorite way to make it is to use 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 can of tomato sauce. We like tomatoes.

Corn- YOU HAVE TO DRAIN THE CORN!!!! I cannot stress this enough. It's horrible if you forget. That being said, if you are a fan of corn by all means double the amount! I have also used frozen corn and it works just as well.

Chili Beans- Make sure it's chili beans and not pinto beans. I have found that beans are the easiest and cheapest way to bulk it up. If you want extras for leftovers or for another meal later on, add more beans! You don't need to double the entire recipe to make a larger amount and it doesn't compromise on the flavor or end result.

Ground Beef- I have made this with ground turkey, chicken, venison, buffalo and elk. I didn't like the elk, but everything else was ok. Turkey and beef are the best. I've also used leftover meat from taco night and dumped it in. And on more than one occasion we've gone vegetarian with no meat at all. We like it both ways.

Taco Seasoning- When I'm making it for Kyle's deer hunting weekends, they like it spicy and I add more seasoning. If I'm making it for the kids I go lighter. If your like me and buy your taco seasoning in bulk from Costco and not in envelopes, I recommend about 1/4 cup unless spicy is your thing, then I'd say 1/3 cup. If McCormick Taco Seasoning is not gluten free, I have seen on pinterest ways to make your own seasoning blends.

I've also left mine in my crock pot for much longer than 4 hours because of time constraints. Really it doesn't matter, everything is already cooked through and the crock pot is to heat it up. Just keep it on low.

And really, don't forget the sour cream and chips! It makes all the difference. I felt obligated to share something that is literally the EASIEST meal I make, my kids eat it (yes, even Kizzy), and it's one of my favorites.