chili nights.

This has been the Winter of experimentation in the kitchen. It was the first room I unpacked. It's such a comfort to be in a place where we're happy at home. I grocery shop. I read cookbooks. I plan ahead, or I just whip something up. It has been a successful learning experience.

Since we started measuring temperatures on the Kelvin scale, we've been craving those deep, hearty dishes of Winter. The kind of meals that cook over low heat and fill the house with yummy smells. The crock-pot stews, the thick soups, and chili, chili, chili. When my mother came to visit in November, she made us her chili recipe. It's a basic, meat, tomatoes, and beans kind of chili. Then we stepped up to chicken and white bean chili. Last week, we finally went veg with this recipe, adapted from Real Simple:

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Vegetarian Chili with Chocolate

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
one 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 14-16-ounce can borlotti beans, drained
1 14-16-ounce can pinto beans, drained
2 14-16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
5 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

In a stockpot, over medium heat, cook the oil, garlic, onion, and green pepper until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially removing lid to thicken during final 15-20 minutes. Before serving, stir in the chocolate until melted.

Tomorrow: What to do with the leftovers...