Look at me, cooking again!

For the last few weeks we've started a kind of tradition of having a Friday night lenten dinner with friends. For the last two Friday's my friend Lisa made a delicious veggie strata and a roasted veggie pasta. So this week? My turn! And I decided to try my hand at homemade chili... 13-bean vegetarian chili. All together now, ready? YUM.

I didn't photograph my steps along the way, but I did get one of the finished product. 

Step one: I used a bag of 13-bean mix... I soaked the beans overnight. Then I cooked the beans in the crockpot from about 7:30 this morning until noon. They were nice and soft. I drained the liquid and put the beans back in the crockpot.

Step two: I started with one GIANT ASS yellow onion, chopped. Brown that in a skillet, and add chopped garlic. I used one medium clove of garlic. After those got somewhat soft, I added Morning Star crumbles, I used a bag and a half, which is about 16 oz. Add this to the crockpot.

Next I added two cans of tomato sauce and one can of stewed tomatoes. Then I started with the chili powder. I didn't measure, but I used a lot. Also added cumin and crushed red pepper. No measurements on any of this. Sorry! The chili was too thick and not saucy enough, so I added another can of tomato sauce. And more chili powder. 

After I added the additional sauce, it was too saucy. I know. I know. So next I added a can of pinto beans.

And, voila!, the perfect mixture of sauciness and thickness and fake meatiness and beaniness.

And there you have it, vegetarian 13-bean chili. Yum!