help me with my slow cooker chili

[lilmomma]

I often make chili in the crock pot with some type of meat, (ie. boneless chicken thighs), can of corn, can of black beans, can of diced tomatoes and then added chopped onions and green peppers. I usually season with taco seasoning and some hot sauce. The kids and I used to love it, but now, I want to kick it up a notch. Can you give me some variations on the ingredients or seasonings to change it up a bit. Thanks.

[letsindulge]

Mole paste & Abuelita chocolate!

[CDouglas]

Chuck (cubed or coarse ground)
Onions
Chile puree (ancho and New Mexico)
Ro-Tel
Lone Star
Oregano
Garlic powder
Salt

[lilmomma]

whats lone star?

[CDouglas]

It is a light lager style beer from Texas.

[TroyTempest]

Probably Lone Star beer. Formerly of San Antonio, now owned by Pabst.

[TroyTempest]

No cumin? It's not chili without it.

[ratbuddy]

Seconded.

edit: I mean the cumin. Darn CH and wacky thread ordering.

[CDouglas]

Right you are, I forgot that:

Chuck (cubed or coarse ground)
Onions
Chile puree (ancho and New Mexico)
Ro-Tel
Lone Star
Cumin
Oregano
Garlic powder
Salt

[TroyTempest]

That sounds a lot like my recipe (which is just a modification of Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm), except i usually use minced garlic. Sometimes beer, sometimes without.
I use canned tomatoes, but i bet Ro-tel are good in there.

[CDouglas]

Ro-Tel really makes it for me. I could eat that stuff straight out of the can.

[Ruthie789]

I make a vegetarian chili and something that helps to pop the flavours is the addition of lime juice.