Chili for Everyone

No matter what your dietary/lifestyle preference, this is a chili that everyone loves.

It's mild, easy, versatile, healthy, filling, and a wonderful base to a variety of different meals.

I'm posting this because a wonderful fellow blogger, http://www.lifeblessons.blogspot.com/, wrote a blog about strengthening her hospitality cookbook.

I, like her, experience a bit of hesitancy when serving people other than my husband my concoctions. When I make something new for us, I watch Brett like a hawk as he takes his first bite. I bet it's really unattractive as I stare him down with my hot stuff flared nostrils, waiting for his reaction. But I do it anyway.

I know that in reality, people are grateful for what you give them. Even if they don't like the dish, they're not going to swear me off because I used too much garlic (which I quite often do). They're going to remember that I made them something, and that my aim was to help, and not to hurt.

So anyway, this is a dish for everyone. There are lots of vegetarians in my neck of the woods, and there's plenty of meat eaters as well. This is a filling and hearty chili that everyone should try at least once.

Here goes:

You'll need....

2 tsp olive oil
half of a red onion, diced
1 garlic glove, minced
1.5 tsp of better than bouillon veggie style (or whatever base you like..)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
1 28 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed.
1.5 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

Warm oil over heat in pot, add onion garlic, bouillon, tomato paste and chili powder. Heat for a few minutes. Add Beans. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring. Don't let it get too fizzly in that pot. Whatever that means. Add tomatoes. Cook for an hour on medium heat.

I mean, that's really it. You can add whatever you like, it's a great base chili. I serve it with whole wheat cornbread, over potatoes, or with sour cream and crusty garlic bread.

You can throw in carrots and corn to get more veggies, or for some more heat- throw in some extra chili powder. I think it's delicious. And it's clearly quite simple. It's easy to double or even triple, and you can prepare it with a crock pot. Just throw everything in, set it on low before you leave in the morning, and when you come home, ta da!


So I hope you give it a try, and I hope you like it. Let me know what you think, and if you do try it, tell me how you served it!