Big Pot of Chili!

(excuse the flash... but it's chili weather!)

I had every intention of making the Seitanic Red and White Bean Jambalaya from V'con today. But the wind howling outside sounded more like "Chili..... chili... chili" and I gave in.

I give in to chili a lot in the fall and winter. I've tried tons of recipes and made up lots of recipes. The one from today includes beer. I cook with wine a lot, but hardly ever with beer. I'm broadening my horizons with alcohol. We're having it with the Skillet Cornbread from V'con that I haven't made yet.

We're also having the Caramelized Apple Cupcakes (that name isn't quite right, is it?) from V'con without frosting, just dusted with powder sugar. I thought I had soy milk powder but couldn't find it. Amazingly, I got 12 cupcakes out of it! This is doubly amazing because I don't usually get the number the recipe suggests and I kept snitching the batter.

Here is a version of the Roasted Chickpeas-- these are pretty damn good! Even better than I hoped. I used 2 cans of chickpeas, 1 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp Tamari and 1 Tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper. They were roasted at 400 for about a 1/2 hour. I didn't really pay attention to the time.

Big Pot of Chili
This makes a ton. You're warned.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 red peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 # seitan, cubed
28 oz can plum tomatoes (cut them in the can with the knife a few times)
15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with chilis
1 can black beans, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained
3/4 cup beer
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp chili powder (ancho)
1/2 Tbsp chili powder (chipotle)
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 adobo with sauce
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 boullion cube
4-6 cups broth (however much you need)
salt and pepper

Follow your usual chili routine. Heat the pot, saute the vegetables, add the seitan and spices, cook a bit, deglaze, then add everything else. Let it simmer and taunt you with it's smell.

Tomorrow: Lasagna!