The Best Vegetarian Chili

I have been making this chili recipe for years.

It's one of the few "routine" meals Z and I just can't get sick of.

It tastes best when the air outside is chilly, football's on the TV, and we have nowhere to be but in our sweatpants, on the couch, eating big bowls of this deliciousness.

The recipe's best when cooked in a slow cooker (mainly because it makes the house smell amazing all day), but I sadly didn't bring ours with us to Portland - so cooking it on the stove top works just as fine.

So let's grab a spoon and dig in!

The Best Vegetarian Chili
Yields: 8 servings
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 large clove garlic, minced
-1 green bell pepper, chopped
-2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
-1 15 oz. can vegetarian baked beans
-1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
-1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
-1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
-2 vegetarian sausage links, chopped (optional - we like the Tofurky Italian Sausage)
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
-1 cup beer (a brown ale works best)
-Salt and pepper, to taste
-Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, for garnish

Directions:
If cooking in a slow cooker, just add all ingredients, stir, and cook on high for four hours (or low for at least six hours).
1.) In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add pepper, and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until pepper begins to soften.
2.) Add the beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, sausage links (if using), and spices, and stir well. Add beer, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all flavoring off the bottom. Season with salt and pepper, and turn heat down to simmer. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes (although I highly recommend 30).
3.) Top with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream (or any garnishes you fancy), and enjoy.

Easy, delicious, healthy, comforting, and super filling. It really is the best thing to eat on a cozy, lazy day.

What's one of your favorite meals that you cook on a regular basis?