Canned fire-roasted tomatoes add heat to this big-batch recipe. For best results, reheat the leftovers on the stovetop for 10 to 15 minutes.
Forgot to mention: also used summer squash with the zucchini and sautéed all the veggies before adding.
I cannot get fire-roasted tomatoes where I live, so I used plain diced and found the recipe lacked flavor. Not bad, but I'll probably chose a different chili recipe next time. Reviewed on my blog: http://mmmsterdam.wordpress.com/2014/04/06/slow-cooker-black-bean-and-zucchini-chili/
Made this in a Dutch oven on the stove top and used squash in addition to the zucchini. Sautéed veggies after browning the ground beef, then combined everything to cook for a few hours. Yum!
The flavor was ok, but the texture of the ground beef was awful. I have never "slow cooked" ground beef and never will again. So sorry to say, my family really did not like it.
A very tasty, and simple recipe! Next time around, I'll be adding 2 more cloves of garlic and 2 more tablespoons of chili powder, as there wasn't quite enough umpf for our tastes. The zucchini was a nice touch. I also used plain yogurt rather than sour cream.
