Chilly Chili Bitches

Chilly nights practically mandate chili. What’s cozier than a night curled up on the couch with a gigantic glass of wine, steaming bowl of from-scratch chili buried under three inches of cheddar cheese, and someone to curl up next to?

Answer? Nothing.

When the weather starts to get a little colder than we’ve been accustomed to due to this rather mild season, it’s time to dip into your pantry and clear out all those cans you picked up at the Can Can sale last year. This Thrifty Thursday, it’s time for chili, Bitches.

All you need:

½ c olive oil

1 zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 14 oz can of plum tomatoes

¾ lb plum tomatoes, diced

1 tbs chili powder

½ tbs cumin

½ tbs dried basil

½ tbs dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp salt

¼ c fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1 can red kidney beans, drained

1 can chickpeas, drained

¼ c chopped dill

1 tbs lemon juice

1.     Heat ¼ c oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and sauté until tender, 5-7 min. Move zucchini to another large pot.

2.     Heat additional oil in the skillet. Add onions, peppers, and garlic and sauté until soft and wilted. Add to zucchini, along with oil from the skillet.

3.     Place the large pot with your vegetables over low heat. Add canned tomatoes and their juice, plum tomatoes, and spices. Cook uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes, for 30 min.

4.     Add beans, dill, and lemon juice. Cook another 15 minutes.

5.     Add salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. Serve in bowls with heaping piles of Cheddar cheese, and say a silent prayer that bathing suit season is still pretty far in the distance.

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