Winter is the perfect time for a big bowl of chili. There are countless chili recipes to choose from – beef, chicken, vegetarian, beans, etc. Our favorite combo is black beans and Rocky Hill Farm’s ground beef (of course!).

By cooking with grass fed beef, you are cooking with lean beef and cutting out all that grease while still getting that amazing flavor. This simple recipe is hearty, healthy and can be ready in 30 minutes. 

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 2-3 minutes (don’t let it burn)
2. Mix in Rocky Hill Farm ground beef and cook just until the pink is gone.
3. Stir in beans, 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid.
4. Mix in chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes. Then add tomato sauce. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle chili into bowls. Top off with your choice of chopped cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese, and green onions.

Ingredients
1lb Rocky Hill Farm ground beef
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

Toppings
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Grated MontereyJack cheese
Chopped green onions

Cut: Ground Beef from Rocky Hill Farm & Beef
Yield: Serves 6

Our favorite meatballs can be dished up just about any way you like. This time we served them over spinach linguine with some local tomato sauce.

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¾ cup plain bread crumbs or panko
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 teaspoons finely chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2 pounds ground beef (not lean)
• ¼ – ½ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Cook onions in extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.

Stir together cooled onion mixture, bread crumbs/panko, eggs, parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until combined.

Add meat to bread mixture, gently mixing with your hands until just combined (do not overmix).

Form meat mixture into about  (1 1/2-inch balls with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on a large baking sheet.

Heat olive oil ¼ cup olive oil in a 12-inch heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meatballs in 4 or 5 batches, turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets while you cook the remaining meatballs as to not overcrowd. Add more olive oil as needed while cooking the remaining batches.

Add all meatballs back to the pan* and add your favorite local tomato sauce and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta!

*I recommend leaving all of the juices from the cooking process in the pan. It adds flavor and you will find there is not a lot of it as grass fed beef is lean!