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Rania's Recipes: Slow-Cooker Chili, Tortellini

Rania Harris stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live on Wednesday to show off two more recipes that will feed your family and won't take up much of your time to make!

Slow-Cooker Chili

2-½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed
(2) 4.5 ounces cans chopped green chiles, drained
1-tablespoon ground cumin
¾ cup chili powder
1 - 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce (or to taste)

Garnishes:

Sliced scallions,
Chopped cilantro
Sour Cream
Cheddar Cheese
Cornbread

Directions

Toss the beef with 1 tablespoon each brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chiles, cumin and chili powder and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups water and the tomatoes and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low 7 hours.

Add the remaining 1-tablespoon brown sugar and the hot sauce to the chili. Top with scallions, cilantro, sour cream and cheddar cheese, if desired. Serve with cornbread.

Serves: 6

Tortellini with Peas and Pancetta

1-pound cheese-filled tri-color tortellini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
3 – 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream (or more to taste)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Ladle in about 1 cup of pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

About 2 minutes before tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the tortellini and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan.

Serves: 4

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