Parts of the country are getting blasted with late-winter snowstorms, making this a GREAT time for chili – just in time for National Chili Day!
There’s really no wrong way to make chili, other than opening a can full of who-knows-what ingredients. If you’re missing anything below, feel free to experiment with something similar …. the recipe will probably still turn out fine. And if you’re trying to minimize the prep work, feel free to sub in Hooray Puree packets as noted below.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- A couple of carrots, chopped, or one packet of Hooray Puree Carrot
- 1/2 butternut squash, diced, or 1 packet of Hooray Puree Butternut Squash
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chopped bell peppers – green, yellow, or red
- about 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
- 1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tsp dried oregano
- Chopped cilantro, red onion, jalapeños, green onions, or anything else that sounds good to you!
Heat oil in a large pan (not cast iron, or it will react with the tomatoes) over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, butternut squash (if you’re using puree, wait until you add the tomatoes), and garlic until tender. Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery, and chili powder. Cook about 5-6 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
Add tomatoes and kidney beans and stir well. If you’re using purees for the butternut squash or carrots, add that now. Season with cumin, oregano, and salt. (If you’re feeling adventurous, add a little cinnamon and/or dark chocolate to bring out a big, deep flavor.) Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with chopped cilantro, red onion, jalapeños, or anything else that sounds good to you!
