Hello, it’s me Bad to the Blonde. I’m still sick with this crap that’s going around and it’s going on a week now – I’m over it but really enjoying my week as a stay at home dog mom (SAHDM). I also haven’t really had an appetite for a week and have been sleeping almost 12 hours a day and living on Thieves. When it’s cold and when I don’t feel good, all I want is comfort food because it just sounds good for the soul. And I miss my Mama.
Meat Free Meals
I have been craving my Mom’s chili (and homemade mac and cheese). Except, I am a vegetarian 90% of the time and home is 2,000 miles away so I had to take this matter into my own hands.
I remembered this recipe I pinned awhile ago on my Meat Free Meals board for One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese from Damn Delicious. I like to keep things simple so one pot – sold! I remembered the bright red dutch oven it was in, but I don’t own a dutch oven nor even a red pot (however, mid recipe I did order one from Target), nor do I eat meat, but it looked damn good. With just enough cheese. Everything has to have cheese. Chili has to be topped with cheese.
Red Dutch Oven
The red dutch oven pot really stood out to me. Maybe that’s what made it look so good? No, it turns out – it ‘s just really is good! Anyway, while drinking some green tea with local Arizona honey this morning, I pulled up the recipe again since I didn’t eat breakfast (like usual) and I was hungry for something warm. After looking in the cupboard to find I have enough cans of beans to live through the rest of 2017 and macaroni noodles – I left to the store for a couple more ingredients. Ok, I did stop at Home Goods, too, to see if there was a red dutch oven. There was only a green one and it was $149 (my red one was $59.99 at Target and everything in my kitchen has to be Calphalon). Holy crap, these pots are expensive!
Meatless Monday
The recipe looked nearly perfect but I wanted to make it “my way” so I could blog it as original content. And, here we are…enjoy. I hope your mouth is watering. It is a hearty dish for Meatless Monday if you are trying to go vegetarian (or eat less meat in general). If you don’t really like taste the beans (use one or two cans instead of three, and use whatever beans you want)! Add some other stuff to it too if you like – you can’t go wrong.I made this chili mac and cheese, my bitch. I am also on my third bowl as I write this.
Damn Delicious
I did repost the photo of the chili mac in the red dutch oven from Damn Delicious on my Instagram because it just looks so perfect and as you’ll see below – my pictures just aren’t that good. I really should have taken additional courses in college – who would have known I need so much photography and photoshop help with blogging.
One Pot Meatless Chili Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 Roma tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth/carton
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 package elbow macaroni noodles
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Parsley (to top)
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in dutch oven, large skillet or large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, tomatoes, garlic and saute.
- Stir in tomato sauce, corn, uncooked macaroni noodles and beans; add chili powder, salt and cumin.
- Add carton/4 cups of vegetable broth (or chicken, I won’t hate you).
- Bring to a boil and cover.
- Let simmer for 10-15 minutes (I don’t like noodles overly soft).
- Remove from heat.
- Taste test.
- Top with cheese and garnish with parsley.
- Refrigerate when full.
Be classy, sassy and a bit bad assy.
XOXO