Quesadilla & Vegetarian Chili

I LOVE chili! From the time I was little, I would always get excited when mom made chili, as I got older I began to help, or doctor mine up to be more spicy. A few years ago I cut out a recipe for White Chicken Tortilla Chili (from a Relish magazine, or something like that?). That recipe is still in my “favorites” binder that I have – but I hardly ever follow it anymore and just go with the flow & whatever I’m in the mood for. I knew I was heading out to the market the other day & asked Rich what he wanted for dinner the next night. One of his choices was Quesadillas. Now I love quesadillas as much as the next person, but to me they are more of a “blech – I don’t have time or feel like cooking something” meal so I couldn’t just cook quesadillas for dinner!

This week has been super cold and I decided that I didn’t need to buy anything special at the market and was going to make this weeks version of my chili (sans chicken – just vegetarian) with some quesadilla on the side!

My Chili (today’s version)

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can small kidney beans (can use white – didn’t have)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• Chicken Stock (add slowly for your desired liquidity)
• cumin (at least a tablespoon)
• chili powder (about a tablespoon)
• chopped hot peppers (from jar/can –  to taste)

Start off by sautéing the onions & garlic in some olive oil. Then I just went and opened up all of my cans & added in some chicken stock (just a little for now, I just add as I go). Top it off with spices, add in the tomatoes & let it simmer for a bit. Continue to taste this as you cook – you are totally in control here to make it as hot or spicy or chunky or whatever as you want! (top it off with your sour cream & cilantro)

For quesadilla – put a tortilla shell on a pan (I don’t use any oil), sprinkle your favorite shredded cheese (some sort of cheddar or mexican mix is usually it for me), then put some cumin & cayenne pepper on top of the cheese & finally top it off with your other shell. After about 3 minutes: flip & brown. Slice it up & enjoy with your favorite sides!

*another great way to make this chili is to throw everything in the slow cooker, head to work & come home to an intoxicatingly great smell! You can even throw whole chicken pieces in it that way & just pull them out and shred them when you get home