Chili... 'nuff said

So I get this thing in my email for the Cooking Channel and its a recipe contest.  13 categories to enter but only the best of 3 of those categories will be picked.  For shiz and giggles I decide "I MUST ENTER!"  There were several options -- brownies, pie, blah blah... but if you know me personally - you know that I have been working on my chili recipe for quite some time.  With the help of my friend Ben, a chef in Dallas, and little vegetarian flavor... I think i might actually have perfected it.  Its saucy, and spicy, and warm and with a little mustard, shredded cheese, minced fresh onion on top of some Fritos....  Its like a first kiss with a soul mate, like glitter and unicorns, like platinum and diamonds... like sparkles.. ok I've gone too far.  I cant help it.  I love shiny things.

I digress.

BACK TO THE CHILI!

Flamin' Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

1 bag of Boca meatless crumbles
1 lg. Texas yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 T of Chili powder
2 T of smoked Hungarian paprika
2 tsp of ground cumin
1 Ghost chile rehydrated and finely chopped  (you can leave this out if its too much)
1 T red chile flakes
2 cans of dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans of Stewed tomatoes (with liquid)
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of Crushed or diced tomatoes
2 T of tomato paste
1 med can of chopped green chiles
1 T of Worcestershire sauce
1-2 T of Soy sauce
1 tsp of dark molasses
2 T of Vegan no beef base
Directions:

 

Sauté the onion over med-hi heat in a little olive oil till translucent.  Add crumbles and turn the heat up to Hi and brown.  Add garlic, and sauté till fragrant.  Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, chile flakes and ghost chile and sauté for a minute or two.   And the beans, all the tomatoes and green chilies.  Stir to combine and then add the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, molasses and vegan beef base.  Stir to combine.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Knock the heat down to medium, medium-low and cook for 45 min with the lid off till it reduces and becomes thick and all the flavors marry together. Make sure to stir this occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.  Turn the heat down if it’s too hot and make sure it simmers and bubbles with out burning for the entire 45 min.  As Alton Brown says, “Your patience will be rewarded.”

Also if you want to let this go all day in a crock put just brown the veggie beef and then throw everything in a large crock pot and turn that sucker on low and let it go all day.

Thanks for reading and happy eating (although there are no other options here).