Sally Reed’s Best Vegetarian Chili

This best vegetarian chili recipe was passed from someone to my Mom, Sally Reed, who passed it on to me.  The vegetarian chili recipe has a meat option which you can cook in the pot or on the side, which is what I do.  The secret of the recipe is to always add an ingredient when you get it; my addition was the corn.  If you use it, please tell me what you add.  It’s mild-to-spicy, depending on how much chili powder and hot sauce you throw in, and very easy to prepare.  At parties, I  serve the meat in a separate bowl. Sally Reed’s vegetarian chili recipe serves about 10, though it’s best on the second day.

Ingredients

• 2 cans whole stewed tomatoes
• 3-4 cans red kidney beans (half-drained)
• 2-3 chopped onions
• 2 chopped green peppers
• 2 chopped jalapeño peppers (optional)
• 3-5 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 shakes dry hot pepper
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 4 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Hot sauce (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons water
• White rice
• 1 package ground beef (optional)

Directions

1. In stew pot, cook peppers, jalapeño peppers  and onions until onions are transparent (about 5 minutes).
2. Mix chili powder with water to make chili paste.
3. Add stewed tomatoes, hot sauce, chili powder paste, remaining spices and cover and cook at low heat for 45 mins.
4. Add kidney beans, uncover and cook for 30 minutes.
5. Add corn and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Serve in bowls, pour over rice, or with a baked potato.

Notes

• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 1.5 hours of intermittent attention
• Precision:  Approximate measurement OK