Chili for chilly weather

When I did my run yesterday morning it was 20º outside, which might not seem too cold if you’re from, say Chicago, but Houston is having its coldest winter in something like 17 years and it feels downright apocalyptic.

I came home, took the hottest shower I could handle, then spent the rest of the day bundled up in bed trying to figure out why my face felt so hot. I left the house only to see a truly horrible concert, then came home again and crawled right back under the covers.

The day before the cold front hit CLH made a huge pot of our friend’s award-winning vegetarian chili and I can swear to you it is the best chili I have ever eaten. It’s been getting us through this cold front better than My Antonia and Eastern Promises consumed in front of a space heater ever could.

When I eat vegetarian, I don’t normally eat fake meats, usually just eat veggie-only meals. But the fakemeat crumbles in this chili give it a more authentic texture. I’m not crazy about canned veggies, but I do like to use Kroger’s organic brand for the canned tomatoes and beans. But that doesn’t help you if you don’t live near a Korger, now does it. Sorry. I also substitute hominy for the corn because I can’t stand canned yellow corn. This chili is easy to make, quick, and one pot will last you for days. Recipe below:

Bob’s Vegetarian Chili

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 t ground cumin
• 2 T dried oregano
• 1 T salt
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 t Big Daddy’s Ass Burn hot sauce (available at Spec’s or the Saint Arnold’s Brewery)
• 1 12-oz package vegetarian “burger” crumbles
• 3 28-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
• 2 T chili powder
• 1 T ground black pepper
• 1 15-oz can kindey beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can while kernel corn, drained and rinsed

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and garlic. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder, hot sauce and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn (or hominy) and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.