SIKE...

We are back a bit earlier than expected.

Ok, just for a second. Imagine that someone is coming over for dinner and they inform you that they/their spouse are vegetarians. Or even worse Vegans. What do you do now?

Here, let us help you. Red Beans really need pork to make them taste good and serving just grilled vegetables may assuage the hunger of the people bucking the trend of evolution, but will do little to make you feel full.

So how about a vegetarian chili with Red Beans? Like you had a better idea.

In a pot combine red beans, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until beans are al dente. You want the beans to have some bite to add textural contrast.

In a dutch oven, saute one onion, some diced peppers (you choose, any pepper you like from the Scoville scale) with some garlic on low heat in some olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes. At this juncture add a can of whole tomatoes, a can of chipotle peppers, a bay leaf, some chili powder, some cumin, and salt. Using the back of a spoon, pop the tomatoes and chipotles. Simmer for 1 hour.

By this time your beans should be al dente. Add to chili mixture. Add some chicken stock or water if necessary. Cover halfway with lid and simmer for another 1 hour.

Serve. Then launch into an expose on why vegetarianism, and environmentalism, is really just a fancy way of being an elitist.