Kris's Hot Damn No Ham Chili Chili

For about 10 years my second son was a vegetarian. During that period we both had to get a bit creative with cooking. I have to say that usually he was better than I was, although I didn't do badly. This was a chili recipe he came up with one day. I would like to say that he spent years developing it, but I think it actually occurred over the period of, say, one day. But it is the only one that I ever use. And it is awesome! I know I sound 14, but it is the only word I can think of to describe it. I have done some tweaking, but I will tell you what I did different after I give you his version.

The Ingredients

3 TBS. olive oil
1 large red onion chopped
2-4 jalapenos chopped, seeded for milder heat
8 tomatoes chopped
4 mushrooms chopped
8-10 cloves garlic minced
2 green bell peppers chopped
2 red bell peppers chopped
2 16 oz. cans black beans
2 16 oz. cans kidney beans
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 TBS. chili powder
2 TBS. cumin
1TBS. cinnamon
1/2 bar of chocolate...like a Hershey's bar
Any other spices like oregano, basil, red pepper flakes...anything you prefer

Heat oil in the bottom of a large pot. Saute all the veggies until tender. Add some salt to get the flavor going. Add in the beans with juice, the tomato sauce, the tomato paste and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer at least 3 hours. Good chili has to age! (Just like the rest of us.) Check often for heat. You can always add more peppers and chili powder if you like to 4 alarm. You can add water if it gets to thick.

OK, here's what I did that was just a bit different. I added a pound of ground beef and half of the red and green peppers. And I had leftover roasted jalapeno and poblano peppers from the salsa verde from an earlier post, so I used those. I only used 3 tablespoons of chili powder...1 was chipotle chili powder and the other 2 were regular. And I only had 4 tomatoes so I also added a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Other than those changes I did everything else the same. The chocolate and the cinnamon are key. Don't even think about leaving them out. As my son said...trust me on this one.

This really is a great versatile chili recipe. It really isn't important what type of beans you use. And you can control the heat to whatever your taste buds can handle. Add a batch of homemade cornbread and you really can't go wrong. We also like to add sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips our individual servings. With fall approaching we will be definitely chowing down on this often. Enjoy!

Minestrone

Italian for "big soup" is minestrone. There seems to be no standard recipe for this staple of Italian cuisine, probably because it was considered a poor man's meal made from whatever was available in the garden. It can be made with or without meat. The recipe I use is one I have tweaked a bit that I found in a vegetarian cookbook from Sunset magazine. It is wonderfully hardy and flavorful. And very versatile.

This time I don't have a picture of the ingredients. I took the picture and documented the whole procedure with more pictures. Then I loaded the pictures on the computer, then I deleted them (clumsy fingers) and when I downloaded them again to the computer the one of the ingredients was gone. So, I'm a technitard...I admit it. That means you guys are going to have to figure out what the ingredients are from this picture.

Just kidding!

The Ingredients

3 TBS. olive oil
1-2 onions chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced, grated or pressed
6 cups chopped fresh veggies...here's what I used
zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, turnips, potato,
green beans. You could also use celery, fresh peas,
basically anything in your garden
1 can kidney beans or white beans
1 can garbanzo beans
8 cups vegetable stock (I use bouillon cubes)
1 tsp. each oregano, basil, rosemary (all dry)
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup small pasta
2 cups shredded cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping the bowls of soup

This again starts out pretty much the same way as my other soups with sauteeing the onion and garlic in a large soup pot about 5 minutes or so. Something I think a person should always keep in mind when making soup is that nothing is set in stone (unless you are making stone soup...I know, I know). I firmly believe that making soup requires intuition and an understanding of what flavors work together. I give measurements...but I rarely measure. That's probably why I like making soups! Less work. Alright, back to work.

Now that the onions and garlic are all yummy, dump in the broth, the beans with juice, all the veggies, and the spices.

Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover and cook for 30 minues.
Stir in tomato paste and pasta and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, until pasta is tender.

Now dump all that pretty cabbage into the soup and cook until just wilted. You could also use spinach, chard or kale. It is all in what you prefer. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls, top with fresh grated parmesan, and serve with a nice crusty bread. Salut!

Something Yummy for My Tummy Cream of Broccoli Soup

OK, I know it's summer, and hot soup is not really on your minds. But just put these recipes away for when it's cold and blustery outside, and you need something to warm you from the inside out. I have a need to make these creamy fattening soups to keep a family member nourished while he is unable to eat basically solid foods. And I don't think there is any reason they can't be made tasty and functional for the rest of the family. And let me tell you, this is one of our all time favorites! I can't take credit for the recipe. I found it in one of my old cookbooks that my church published as a fund raiser. Heck, we all know how good some of those recipes can be! Even if it is warm out, you really need to try this one. So here we go.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

The Ingredients

3 cups diced raw potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large head chopped broccoli
1 cup diced carrots
5 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 quart milk
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

This soup is so easy it is ridiculous. First, I never peel the potatoes...except in this instance since I will be pureeing some of this. Another thing...if you don't have chicken broth you can certainly substitute bouillon cubes. For vegetarians, vegetable broth could also be substituted. And lastly, any type of milk could be used...skim, lowfat, half and half. It would just depend on how rich you prefer your soup.

Now to the making of it. Put all the veggies and chicken broth in a good size pot. Heat to boiling, cover and simmer until veggies are tender.

While the veggies are cooking, make a roux with the butter and flour. I am confident that most of you know what that is. But for those of you whom I have confused it simply means to melt the butter and then gradually add the flour whisking constantly until you have a smooth paste. Do this over a medium heat.

Then, again, gradually add the milk to the roux whisking the entire time. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is thickened.

Add the milk mixture gradually to the pot with the cooked veggies. Heat through until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Be careful with the salt as the chicken broth and cheese will have salt. And I like to use white pepper in this as it is a little milder in flavor and it isn't nearly as visible as the black.

Now comes the really yummy part....cheeeeesssseee. Everything is better with cheese. You could use any melty cheese in this and it would be yummy. So add the cheese and stir until melted.

And there you have it...a warm yummy comfort soup that is a meal in itself. Trust me, you will love this. The important thing is....I didn't lie. It really is easy, isn't it?!

Enjoy!