[Phillygirl]

We are getting ready for our annual fall camping trip. We're not tent campers, we rent State Park Cabins, that have stoves. I admit to being a lazy camping chef. We hardly cook anything outside, but do have meals that have become traditional. For years, I made chili from scratch while on vacation, using my crockpot. This allowed us to enjoy our day and come home to a piping hot dinner.

This year, I have decided to prepare it ahead of time and freeze it. I guess I'm just getting old. There's my "Camping Chili" recipe.

One large crockpot

5-6 lbs. plum tomatoes
3 green peppers coarsely chopped
3 onions coarsely chopped
As many fresh hot peppers as you can stand, coarsely chopped
3-4 lbs. of ground meat (beef, elk, venison, or a combination as we have this year of venison and pork)
1 large can tomato paste
1 large can kidney beans
Chili Powder to taste
Bay Leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch and peel tomatoes.
Brown ground meat.
Dump in crockpot and stir
Add all remaining ingredients except kidney beans, stir
Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 6.
Find and remove bay leaf.
Add kidney beans.

Supplement with corn muffins or corn bread. I usually go to BJs or Sams and get those giant corn muffins at $6-somthing a dozen. They're freezable.