Famous Veggie Chili

It's probably not accurate to call this "famous" veggie chili, but it has routinely been a crowd pleaser. Scott and I have entertained with it on several occasions and it always goes over well. I'm kind of surprised I haven't put this on the blog before. It's one of my oldest recipes.

Notes: The key to this chili is a balance of flavors. You want a combination of heat, depth, and sweetness.

The beans are easily swappable: use pinto beans or red kidney beans if you prefer. I happened to have fresh corn, but you could use frozen (about 1/2 a small bag) if it's not in season.

This chili is not particularly hot. If you want extra heat, look for the diced tomatoes with green chiles in them!

Ingredients:
5-6 small or medium carrots
1 onion
2 ears of corn
2-3 garlic cloves
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 large tablespoons cumin
10-12 drops Tabasco (I used the chipotle)
1 capful of liquid smoke
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey)
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Chop your carrots and onion in a small dice. Strip the kernels off your ears of corn by standing them up on end in a bowl and running your knife down each side. Mince the garlic. Drain and rinse your beans under cold water.

Heat your fat of choice in a large stock pot on medium-high. Add in carrots, onion, and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes and then add the corn. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add in all your chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir until the veggies are coated. Add in the Tabasco, liquid smoke, beans, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.

Bring everything to boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer for as long as you have time to wait, but at least 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Poblano and Corn Chili

It rains a lot in the Northeast. Today was no exception. It was misty and cold -- the kind of weather that drives you inside and begs you to take a nap. In other words, it was chili weather.

Notes: Chili cries out for experimentation. Try out your own blend of spices. This chili is not as hot as my usual recipe. I wanted the flavor of the poblano to come through. If you like it hotter, by all means, fire it up.

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion
3 garlic cloves
1 poblano pepper, seeded
1/2 bag of frozen corn (or 2-3 ears of fresh, if it's in season)
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes 
1 15 oz. can red beans (kidney, pinto, aduki would all work)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups of water
2 tablespoons cumin
10 dashes of hot sauce
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions: Dice your onion, mince your garlic, and finely chop your pepper. Add your fat of choice to a stock pot and heat it to medium-high. Saute your veggies until they are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cumin and stir to coat the veggies.

Rinse and drain your canned beans. Add the tomatoes and beans to the pot. Pour in the water. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar. Finally, add the corn (no need to thaw) and the hot sauce.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and let everything simmer together at least 20 minutes. The longer it simmers, the better it gets! Be sure to taste it for seasonings before you serve.

Top with your favorite chili garnish (sour cream all the way!) and enjoy!