RUF Chili

This past week we managed to surprise my friend Jenny with her first birthday party ever (25 is a big year, you know).  I served up a pot of chili which I learned to make in college.  It became the staple of our RUF "core group" meeting eatings. :)  It's the type of chili anyone -even single college guys- can make and enjoy.  Thank you, Eric, for passing it on!

By request, I'm putting the recipe on the blog. Of course, you can vary which beans you use, or make them from dry instead of canned. The one I served last week had some canned beans and some which I'd previously cooked up from dry beans and had frozen.

RUF Chili

2 (15 oz) cans (or 3 cups cooked) pinto beans

2 (15 oz) cans (or 3 cups cooked) black beans

2 (15 oz) cans (or 3 cups cooked) great northern or navy beans

1 large can (28 oz size) (3 1/2 cups cooked) baked beans* 

1 (28 oz) jar salsa (as hot as you want)

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatos or 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (~3 tomatoes)

between 1/2 & 1 cup of filtered water (to taste)

(optional: browned ground beef or chuck-- we didn't add this in RUF b/c several members were vegetarian)

Rinse the pinto, black & white beans, then dump into your stockpot.  If desired, brown beef and add to pot. Add the can of baked beans, tomatoes & salsa. Add water to thin to taste, taking into account how long you will let the pot sit out/on the heat (longer time = more water needed)

Heat to boiling.  Serve with sour cream and grated cheddar or colby jack cheese.  

YUM!!

*(Bush's Vegetarian Beans are gluten & soy-free)  However, I usually make our own beans (were you surprised?).  I'll post my recipe for them later-- I love it because I can either use the crock pot or the oven.

Some pictures are here.