Pinteresting - Buffalo Chicken Chili

I've been away..... for a very long time. I keep telling myself that I will be back. That I will start posting recipes again instead of just throwing pictures out on Facebook. I promise the friends that implore me to start posting again that I absolutely will.

I am such a fraud.

I intend to, really I do. I had a grand plan to spend my twelve days off over Christmas break breathing new life into my blog. And yet.... here we are.

However, I also have a new addiction. I imagine many of you are afflicted with the very same sickness. And they call it.... PINTEREST. I can't seem to stay away. I am constantly finding myself in the throes of yet another irresistible project or recipe. And so, a decision has been made. I MUST come back to blogging, just so that I can share my experiences with the crack otherwise known as Pinterest. Starting....

RIGHT NOW.

Of course, its not an entirely altruistic mission. It also gives me a venue to post pictures and re-pin them with my own personal notes, edits, and occasionally...rants. Because as we all know... sometimes those Pinterest projects don't actually turn out.

This is not one of those cases. This, my friends, is a real keeper. A gem. In fact, even a "husband-approved" pin. This is Buffalo Chicken Chili.

The hubby and I have a tradition of making soup to share with friends at our local watering hole on New Year's Day, as well as the hubster's birthday, the day immediately following New Year's Day. It makes for quite a "weekend" and brings a bit of closure to the holiday season for us.

This year, I pulled a recipe off one of my boards and decided to give it a whirl. I had the hubby's blessing to give it an attempt, and so we were off. To say this pin was a success is a massive understatement. In fact, it was so well received, I had to send the recipe to more people than I can currently recall. I admit that I did make a few minor tweaks, but in the end, we have one for the books. A recipe the hubby has already requested another batch of. And in my book, it doesn't get much better than that.

I am including the recipe below, with my modifications, and the original recipe - props to the original poster!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1 large red pepper
1 large onion
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup chili powder
3tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. paprika
3/4 cup Franks Hot Sauce
3 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
2 cans water
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken with a bit of water in pan until cooked and easy to shred.  Shred chicken and set aside.  Heat a bit of oil in a large pot and cook onions, carrots, pepper and garlic about 8 minutes.  Add all the other ingredients and mix together.   Simmer for about an hour, until the flavors come together.