My slow-cooker chili

Chili is one of those soul-satisfying, great on a winter day, makes the house smell wonderful, inexpensive, pot big enough to feed an army kind of meals. This is my version. The slow-cooker lets you do the prep at lunchtime, in the AM, or even the night before, and then let the cooker do the work of melding the ingredients together perfectly without any of your attention and without burning to the bottom of the pot. Serve with cornbread and a crisp green salad (see my honey cornbread recipe below).

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
One 40 oz can plus one 15 oz can kidney beans (I used dark and light)
One 28 oz can diced tomatoes
One 15 oz can tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
3 TBS chili powder
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp dried basil
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)

Prepare slowcooker by spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add ground beef and onion. Cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Remove to slowcooker with a slotted spoon. Add green pepper, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, worcestershire, and spices to slowcooker. Stir to combine. Cook on low setting for 8 hours or high setting for 4 hours. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream if desired. Makes approximately 8 servings.