Chili

I think this might be the best chili I've ever made, and my husband said the key is to let it sit for twenty-four hours.  Because that's exactly what I did and it was amazing.

I made this chili yesterday.  As in, ALL DAY yesterday.  First you have to soak and drain the beans, and then simmer the beans, and then add all the ingredients and cook it for two hours.  And then let it sit overnight.  I'm not joking when I say it's an all day project.

It was well worth it.

Here's the original recipe from Oh She Glows:

The only thing I did differently was not add the last six ingredients (just because I didn't have them.)
And I didn't make the cornbread.

Other than that, it turned out great.  This is a great recipe!

Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients:

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 2.5 tbsp chili powder, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes)
• 1/2 cup dry/uncooked black eyed peas
• 3/4 cup dry/uncooked black beans
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes, liquid drained
• 2 tbsp tomato paste, to thicken
• 1 tbsp chia seeds (or ground flax), to thicken
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 tbsp your fav BBQ sauce
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• couple handfuls of chopped spinach, or other greens like collard, kale, etc

1. Soak the beans in water overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. This part is optional, but it helps reduce cook time and makes the beans more digestible. Rinse and drain beans before using. In a large pot, add the oil and sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat for about 5-6 minutes, until translucent.
2. Add in the pepper and optional jalapeno and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the spices (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne) and sauté on low another couple minutes. If you want, you can add just a bit for now and then add the rest to taste after it has cooked.
4. Add the dry black beans and black eyed peas, broth, and drained diced tomatoes. Stir well. Now stir in the tomato paste. Simmer on low with the lid ajar for about 2.5 hours, checking often to make sure it doesn’t dry out. If it does, add a bit more broth to thin out.
5. About 15 minutes before it’s done cooking, stir in the chia seeds, corn, and chopped greens. The chia helps thicken the chili. Also stir in the BBQ sauce, starting with 1 tbsp at a time and tasting as you go. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be made 2-3 days in advance and frozen if preferred.
Note: You can probably use canned beans, but you won’t need as much broth. I would add it slowly.