Snow and Chili

So it snowed last Saturday....yeah. I stayed inside for the entire day, leaving the house for the first time at 8pm to meet some friends for dinner and go to a Halloween party. To stay warm and cozy I made some vegetarian chili, which was phenomenal. The recipe that I made was a combination of recipes from family members and random cookbooks, but I would imagine that most chili recipes have the same basic ingredients and you can adjust or add things based on your preferences. If, however, you are not feeling adventurous or want to follow this recipe exactly, you will not be disappointed I promise! It is so good, and it makes about 8-10 servings.

Snowstorm Vegetarian Chili

1 can of black beans, undrained
1 can of pinto beans, undrained
1 can of kidney beans, undrained
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 green bell peppers
1 package of portabello mushrooms
1 large tomato
1 large can of whole, peeled tomatoes with liquid
1 tablespoon of cumin
1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of chili power

Steps:

1. Chop up all of the vegetables, including the canned tomatoes.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and garlic powder. Add the bell peppers and half of the chili powder and cook for a few minutes until the peppers are soft, stirring occasionally.
3. Add in all of the other ingredients, including the liquid from the canned tomatoes and the beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with cheddar cheese and avocado.

To go along with the chili, I made this grilled cheese sandwich using rustic loaf bread from Zabar's and a combination of mozzarella and St. Andre cheese. It was the perfect compliment to the chili!