Urban Naturalist - Chili Time

The temperature drops and my mind goes to chili. It's the perfect cold-weather comfort food. Thick and filling, chili has the spices to warm me up on the inside. I like to eat it with cornbread or Fritoes and cheese, green chilies and onions. My recipe is simple and vegetarian, though sometimes I add ground beef for my boys.

Chili

1 C dried black beans

1 C dried red beans or kidney beans

1 C dried pinto beans

1 can chopped tomatoes or stewed tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon Cumin (ground or whole)

1 Teaspoon Salt

Place all ingredients in a crock pot with water to cover by a couple of inches at least. Leave on low setting all day. You can also soak the beans the night before for a shorter cooking time.

Add your favorite toppings such as shredded natural cheddar cheese, chopped green chilies and onions, sour cream, etc.

I'll put up my southern cornbread recipe tomorrow. A great compliment to the chili.

Enjoy!