Today is Wednesday and that means this is my day for no appointments. With all the bad news out there lately it seems like a good day to be unplugged and cooking.
It sounds like Congress is taking another pass at the bailout plan today…let’s hope they bring better news than the Twins. We went to the Eagles concert last night…good thing we didn’t know when we were there what a disappointing concert it was (according to the StarTribune review) or we wouldn’t have enjoyed it so much!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." ~ Arthur Ashe
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I was first introduced to this week’s recipe about 15 years ago and have been making it ever since. The ‘official’ recipe is to be cooked on the stovetop, but I always put it in the crockpot. It sounds strange when I say it, but not only does my mouth love this vegetable chili, it also makes my body happy…just like it’s smiling and saying…aaahhh, thank you, this feels so good!
VEGETABLE CHILI
from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
CHILI
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I use 5-6 small zucchini to give more ‘meaty’ texture)
- 2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I use small onions)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 can (35 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice (I can no longer find this size, I use 28 oz and used more fresh tomatoes)
- 1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice (I use 1 3/4 – 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
- 1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained (15 ounce can)
- 1 cup canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained (15 ounce can)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
SERVING GARNISH
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 scallions (green onions), white bulb and 3 inches green, sliced on the diagonal
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, and saute until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large flameproof casserole or dutch oven. (I use a large crockpot and enough zucchini to make a generous layer covering the bottom.)
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers. Saute until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the mixture, including skillet oil, to the ‘chili pot’.
If using crock pot, add the remaining ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
If cooking on the stove top, add everthing except beans, dill and lemon juice and cook, uncovered and stirring often, for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 15 minutes.
