Snow Day Chili

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No school today!  Of course the weather is affecting my taste buds, making me want something warm, filling, and slightly spicy. While at the grocery store earlier in the week (amidst the huge crowd of folks preparing for a “big winter storm”), I saw a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  Apparently, they are just mature jalapenos that have been smoked.  I’d also never had adobo either.  It is kind of like a bbq sauce without the sweetness.  And these little peppers are HOT, especially since it is the whole jalapeno with seeds and all.  Be careful not to directly handle any hot pepper with your bare hands.  I used a fork to hold these little peppers in place while I cut them up.  I also use Morning Star Farms meat crumbles instead of ground beef.  Even if you are not a vegetarian, you know that leftovers of anything ground beef can get tough.  Try these little meat crumbles in this dish, and I promise you won’t even notice a difference.  Unless it is for the better, of course.

Smoky Chipotle Chili

2 or 3 tbsp EVOO
3/4 cup onion, chopped (or more if you like onions)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chipotle pepper, diced
half bag of Morning Star Farms meat crumbles
1 can pinto beans
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
dash oregano
2 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

for optional garnish:
shredded cheddar
sour cream
fresh chopped cilantro

• Cook onions with EVOO on medium heat until they are translucent.
• Add garlic, chipotle, and meat crumbles and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.  Turn the heat down if the onions start to brown too fast.
• After all that delicious smoky spice seeps in to everything, add each of the rest of the ingredients, stirring each until incorporated.
• Before you add the salt at the end, let the chili cook on medium for about 5 minutes so that you can get an accurate read on how much you want.  You may like this a little on the sweeter, smokier side or you may want more salt to balance everything out.
• Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro

If you are really not into spicy foods, chop your pepper into 4 different piles.  Wait until you have added the other ingredients before you experiment with how much spice you can take, separately adding each pile and then tasting after each addition.  If you add too much spice, you can’t take it out.  Remember that the sugar balances the spicy pH levels, and it will lose a little kick after it sits in your frig overnight.

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