Coca-Cola Chili

         The Mid-South has two seasons: can't stand it, gotta whip your clothes off as soon as you come home, fry an egg on your forehead hot, and a bleak, grey, "Winter". I swear, I haven't seen the sun in nine days. It was about time to bring some heat back into my life. Thank goodness for this chili! Sweet and spicy enough to make your lips burn, this chili is just what the doctor ordered. I love the kinda dish that's easy as pie to make, smells so dang good everyone thinks you're Julia Child, and so filling and satisfying that you've gotta unbutton your pants after a bowl. A guaranteed crowd pleaser, this Coca-Cola chili is so heavenly you might find yourself ladling it over french fries at three in the morning. Not that I would know anything about that.

Time to assemble the troops. This may seem like an overwhelming amount of ingredients, but all you gotta do to them is throw 'em in a big ole stock pot. I'm making a double batch, cause I like to freeze half. This chili is perfect for cheese fries, chili dogs, tofu scramble, Mexican pizza, on top of veggie burgers, a whole host of different goodies. As far as replacing the ground beef found in traditional chili, I do recommend the Gardein brand. I have found I gotta work with it a little bit though, hence my addition of Liquid Smoke and Bragg's Liquid Amino's. Of course, you could leave it out entirely and just double up on beans.

The only real prep work involved is rinsing and draining your beans, and dicing your veggies.

Optional ingredient for my heat seekers: chocolate habanero! This added such a rich, deep, hotter than hot spice. I'm a spicy food fiend, but this is not for the faint of heart! You could replace with something milder, like jalepenos, or nothing at all if you prefer.

Sweat all your veggies while singing The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang. Necessary to sweating veggies properly.

Pour in all the liquid ingredients, give it a good stir, turn the heat down, pop a lid on it, and relax for a couple hours. Or, you know, vacuum, do laundry, run after your ten month old, scream on the phone with Comcast. Whatever floats your boat.

Serve it piping hot, when you can no longer wait on it any longer. Top it with a myriad of things, green onions, vegan sour cream and cheese, avocados, corn chips, anything! BUT I personally think it is crucial to always have some cornbread with chili.

Coca-Cola Chili

Author: The Porkless Peg

Serves: 16-20

INGREDIENTS

• 2  15 oz cans rinsed and drained kidney beans
• 2 15 oz cans rinsed and drained pinto beans
• 1 package beefless grounds (Gardein for example)
• 1 large sweeet onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 habanero
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 12 oz can plum tomatos
• 1 10 oz can rotel
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 2 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp steak seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 16 oz Mexican Coca-Cola

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sweat onions, peppers, and garlic on medium high heat in a large stock pot until soft.
2. Add in beefless grounds, beans, and dry seasonings.
3. Add plum tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, and all other wet ingredients. Give it a good stir, cover, and turn the heat to low.
4. Cook on low for two and a half hours, stirring every so often. Use wooden spoon to break up plum tomatoes.
5. Before serving, fish out bay leaves.
6. Ladle into bowls, topping with vegan sour cream and cheese, avocados, corn chips, or corn bread.