Gluten Free Living – 2014

Pepperoni Pizza Chili is one amazing chili recipe! Pepperoni Pizza Chili tastes like pepperoni pizza mixed in with your favorite chili recipe! This recipe contains ground beef, pepperoni, Italian stewed tomatoes, onions, both pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce, Ranch-style beans and chili and garlic powder.

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I slow cook this chili in the crockpot which makes it one of the easier chili recipes you’ll ever come across.  When serving, mozzarella cheese is sprinkled over each bowlful to provide one of the yummiest, most spectacular flavors you will ever eat.

Years ago when we attended Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, our church had a chili cook-off in the dead of winter one cold Sunday night. Prizes were given for several different categories including, “most creative.” Brenda Funk’s recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Chili received that designation.

I couldn’t wait to track Brenda down and get this tasty chili recipe from her. This recipe appears in her self-published “Funk Family Cookbook” and has been in her family for awhile. Brenda’s chili recipe was a hit with us then and still today it’s a great chili recipe, especially if you’d like to get out of your chili rut and try something new.

One of the things I like about this chili is that it uses Ranch-style beans (which are pinto beans cooked in a barbecue/Tex-Mex type sauce), instead of using the typical kidney beans. They provide a lot of additional flavor. Of course, anything with pepperoni gains high praise with me! Plus the addition of Italian flavorings, Italian stewed tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese also makes this an over-the-top recipe.

If you’re looking for a great recipe for cold winter nights and you want to spruce up your meals with something a little different then add Pepperoni Pizza Chili to your dinner menu sometime soon. This chili is great served with garlic bread, cornbread or oyster crackers. I served Pepperoni Pizza Chili for company last Friday night along with my delicious Greek Salad. Both turned out fantastic and our guests sure enjoyed them. Go ahead, give Pepperoni Pizza Chili a try.

When I originally published this recipe in February 2014, I wasn’t overly happy with my pictures. The mozzarella cheese hadn’t melted enough so the cheese looked kind of globby. I recently remade this recipe (September 2017) for our Friday night care group. Everyone loved having pepperoni in their chili!

I served this fantastic chili with a Maple Bacon Cornbread to die for! The chili was incredibly good with the cornbread crumbled into it. I increased the ground beef to two pounds so everyone loved the meatier chili. Because I couldn’t find Italian style stewed tomatoes, I added an additional quarter teaspoon of both oregano and basil to the crockpot while cooking. We loved it. I’m sure you will too.

Pepperoni Pizza Chili is the best of both worlds–Tex Mex and Italian.

One of the nice things about making this chili dish is it’s made in the crockpot! Pepperoni Pizza Chili is fairly quick and easy to make.

Pepperoni Pizza Chili is gluten free for those who have gluten intolerance. It’s wonderful served with Maple Bacon Cornbread.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients. I increased the ground beef from one pound to two pounds. Everyone loved the meatier chili. Because I couldn’t find Italian style stewed tomatoes, I added 1/4 teaspoon each of basil and oregano to provide a little Italian flavor.

Brown beef with onions and green pepper. Because I only had half of a green bell pepper, I added half of an orange and half of a red bell pepper also.

Saute until beef is browned. The veggies don’t have to cook all the way (since they will continue cooking in the crockpot).

Drain grease. Place beef mixture in crockpot.

Add stewed tomatoes (Italian style if you can find them), pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce and Ranch-style beans.

Add pepperoni, Italian seasoning, chili powder, and garlic powder. Add 1/4 teaspoon oregano and basil if you can’t find Italian style stewed tomatoes.

Stir ingredients to combine.

Cook in crockpot over low heat 6-8 hours or high heat 4-6 hours. Check seasonings. Add more chili powder or Italian seasoning if desired.

To serve: ladle chili into bowls. You’ll be smacking your lips over every spoonful of Pepperoni Pizza Chili.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve with oyster crackers, garlic bread or cornbread, if desired.

I liked mine with cornbread crumbled into it. If you’re tired of your typical chili rut, why not make up a batch of Pepperoni Pizza Chili? You and your family will love it.

Here’s the recipe.

PEPPERONI PIZZA CHILI

(Recipe adapted from Brenda Funk, when we attended Hillcrest Baptist Church, Cedar Hill, TX)

Pepperoni Pizza Chili is phenomenal. Don’t be afraid to make this tasty recipe for chili or your next chili cook-off! We love the addition of mozzarella cheese to garnish Pepperoni Pizza Chili.

Doesn’t Pepperoni Pizza Chili look marvelous? A little Maple Bacon Cornbread as a side doesn’t hurt either!

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Chili Con Carne

Firehouse Sausage Chili

Taco Soup