Vegetable Chili

Vegetable Chili   This recipe came from my friend, Ruth.  This is one of my favorites.

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans black beans

2 large cans tomato sauce

1 small can green chilies

2 cans corn

1 or 2 envelopes chili seasoning mix. (I use one)

2 onions

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

4 small zucchini

2 small yellow crookneck

5 carrots

1 medium butternut squash, cooked and pureed

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

2 cans diced tomatoes

Pour tomato sauce in a very loge pot.  Dice onions, bell peppers and carrots and heat in tomato sauce until warm.  Add butternut puree.  Add one envelope of chili seasoning mix.  Simmer until vegetables begin to be tender.  Add green chilies.  Cut up zucchini and crookneck and add to pot.  Cook till tender.  Drain corn and beans and add to pot.  Add cans of diced tomatoes, undrained.  Add second envelope of chili seasoning mix if desired.  Cook until squash is tender and flavors blend.

NOTE:  Usually I substitute the tomato sauce and for a quart of tomatoes I have canned.  I crush the tomatoes and add some Ultra Gel to thicken it.  See the canning page for Ultra Gel.

NOTE:  I use one quart of kidney beans and one quart of black beans that I have canned.  I also use corn I have frozen.

NOTE:  Butternut squash is ripe long after the summer squash is ready to harvest, so I use the butternut squash that I cooked, pureed, and froze the previous season.

NOTE:  I make my own chili seasoning mix.  I got this recipe from the Make-A-Mix cookbook.  This recipe is equal to one package of a store bought mix.

1 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. minced onions (I use my dehydrated ones)

1 1/2 teas. chili powder

1 teas. seasoned salt

1/2 teas. crushed dried red pepper

1/2 teas. minced garlic ( I use garlic powder or 2 to 3 cloves of fresh)

1/2 teas. sugar

1/2 teas cumin