this is the time of year that Peter and i do what we call nesting. we build a warm, bright, comfy space and settle into it. the past few weeks have been cold here in Philly, and i find myself rushing from home to work and back again - limiting my time outside to avoid the stinging cold. my time at home has been completely consumed by the pile of books i was given for Christmas. i get home from work, put some jazz on, and settle in on the couch for hours of uninterrupted reading. i have not been so utterly consumed by books in a long time, and it feels lovely. voraciously reading is the perfect thing to do in a nest.
the perfect accompaniment to a warm winter nest is what i have come to call "a hot steaming bowl of yum" aka vegetarian bean chili. i have been making this chili for years now, and have tweaked it here and there along the way. it is the kind of soup that warms you to the core. this chili is tasty the day you make it, but it's flavors definitely increase with time. make a big pot and keep it in the fridge for days.
simple bean chili (makes 4-5 big bowls)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 10 oz. cans of beans (i like to do a mixture of black, pinto, and pink beans)
1 15 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes (preferably diced, but crushed will work too)
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 bottle of beer (i like using mexican beer like corona or pacifico. pale ales work well too.)
salt to taste
toppings: sour cream, chopped cilantro, squeeze of lemon juice, grated cheese, broken tortilla chips
heat the oil over medium heat in a big soup pot. add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until soft. add the beans, tomatoes, corn and spices.* stir to combine. cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. remove top and add beer. simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. salt to taste. serve in big soup bowls. top with any or all of the listed toppings. i often do sour cream, cilantro, and lemon juice OR cheese and tortilla chips.
* sometimes i like to temper the spices a bit by adding some for a minute or two with the onions before adding the rest of the ingredients. it develops the flavor a bit more.
snuggle into the warm nest and enjoy!
