Best Bean Chili

This recipe makes a big batch of chili. Enjoy over baked potatoes, brown rice, cornbread or by itself. It's good to make the chili a day before serving as the flavor improves overnight.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water

1 to 2 onions, chopped (about 3 cups)

1 green and 1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped or sliced

6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

16 ounces tomato sauce (with no salt added)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

7 ounces canned diced green chilies (mild)

1 cup of frozen corn

4 15-ounce cans cooked beans, drained and rinsed (about 6 cups)

   for example: black beans, red kidney, pintos, white beans

Instructions

Saute' onions in 1/4 cup vegetable stock for 5-10 minutes or until translucent. Add 1/4 cup more vegetable stock, the bell peppers, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and spices and saute' 1 minute longer. Add remaining cup of vegetable stock, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, green chilies, corn and drained beans and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate leftovers up to four days or freeze for longer storage.

Notes:  A food processor is useful for chopping the veggies quickly.
             Instead of canned beans, use 6 cups of home-cooked beans such as black, kidney or pintos.

Also try: Lentil-Bean Chili