Sweet Potato and Apple Chili

Makes about 8 cups

• 1-1/ 2 cups cooked or canned Red Beans
• 1-1/ 2 cup cooked or canned White Beans
• 1-1/ 2 cup cooked or canned Pinto Beans
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, peeled and diced fine
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon ground Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon ground Coriander
• 1 large Sweet Potato (about 12  ounces) peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large Granny Smith Apple (about 8 ounces) peeled, cored and diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1-28 ounce can of crushed or diced Tomatoes (for this batch, 1 used diced, but 1 prefer crushed)
• 2cups Water
• 1 cup Apple Cider
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until onion has softened and is starting to brown.
2. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spices and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Quickly remove from heat and add to the crock of your slow cooker.
3. Add the diced sweet potato, apple, tomatoes and liquid to the crock and mix well.
4. Cover and cook on low for eight hours or up to nine hours.

Serve with corn bread, tortilla chips or spice cake muffins.

Submitted by Kathleen Turk