Slow Cooker, Venison Chile - recipe

1 15 oz can red kidney beans
1 1/2 cups thick-sliced celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground venison or venison sausage
(If your family didn't get a deer this year, you can substitute hamburger, or even turkey burger, but it's not as good.)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup toasted oat cereal
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tbsp Chile powder*
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 can (15 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 can (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
Chopped tomatoes
* Those who like it hot can add chopped jalopenos to taste
Fat-free sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. In 4- to 5-quart crockery slow cooker place canned beans, celery, onion and garlic (and any optional peppers).

3. In large skillet quickly brown ground venison burger, half at a time, in hot oil. Place burger on vegetables in crockery cooker. Sprinkle with oat cereal, and seasonings.

4. Pour tomato sauce, undrained tomatoes and broth over mixture in crockery cooker. Stir. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 hours. Ladle into serving bowls. Top with tomatoes and sour cream, if desired.

Easy to do ahead and have ready and waiting after a day of play outside in the snow.