Nothing is more pleasing than entering your living space and immediately feeling solaced by the savory scents of a meal that’s perfectly ripened and ready for you to ravish it. And some would argue that there’s nothing more soul soothing than a simmering pot of chili.
Millions of recipes float around in cyberspace, all of which are most likely equally scrumptious but vary greatly in taste, texture, spiciness and vegetarian stamps-of–approval.
Southwest Ambrosial Chili for the Gods is a hodgepodge of ingredients with flavors and aromas that will guarantee to activate your salivation glands at first sniff.
Here’s what you’ll need:
*One crock-pot — You can either steal this from your mother’s cabinet when you visit, legitimately borrow it from your parents when you visit or find a cheap, seasoned, avocado green version in most thrift stores for under $15. Or, of course, you could go to Williams-Sonoma and pay them $100 and/or your left kidney.
*One lb. ground beef/ground turkey/tofu/other meat substitutes that are out there or your leftover Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey or Tofurky.
*One can of vegetable broth
*One head garlic, minced
*One white or yellow onion, minced
*One can black beans
*One can pinto beans
*One can kidney beans
*One can sweet corn
*One can diced tomatoes
*2 Tbsp. brown sugar
*Tsp. garlic powder
*Tbsp. cumin
*Tbsp. chili powder
*Tbsp. fresh or dried oregano
*Tabasco sauce to taste (you decide how many dashes, at your discretion)
*Tsp. salt
*Tsp. pepper
*One bag of shredded, sharp cheddar cheese
*Cornbread (optional, but a fine, fine choice for a side)
Sure this list looks daunting, but all of this stuff shouldn’t cost you more than $20, and that’s if you have to buy all the seasonings that are common pantry residents brand spanking new.
Sometime in the morning, or whenever for that matter, cook up the meat or meat substitute with a few cloves of freshly minced garlic, salt and pepper in a sauté pan. Next comes the easy part …
Flip on the crock-pot to medium-high, transfer the meat/non-meat into the crock. Follow by pouring in the vegetable broth, garlic, onion, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and fresh oregano.
Next, add in a few liberal dashes of Tabasco to reach your desired spiciness, then some salt and pepper to taste. Secure the glass lid on, and let the Crock do its magic.
This recipe may simmer on med-high for a few hours, but if you’ll be away from home all day, you should leave it on medium so it doesn’t get too mushy. The slow-simmer action brings out the full flavors of the ingredients and marries each component into one satisfying stew fit for the Gods.
When you’re ready to dive in, ladle out a bowl and sprinkle a hefty dose of cheese over the top. Serve with some warmed cornbread and float on up to the southwest side of Mt. Olympus.
