Poblano Quinoa Chili

Prep: on the harder side but not bad at all

Time: on the longer side 

Taste: AMAZING

From: I can't even remember. I kinda kinda just made it up!
Note: the green salsa from Wegmans is what I use and it is FABULOUS

Poblano Quinoa Chili

Step 1: roast a bunch of peppers for at least one hour

Step 2: dice roasted peppers, add to other ingredients to let simmer on stove or in crock pot 

Stept Three: Serve with guacamole

Ok, first: the peppers! I always go with a random amount of different kinds. Sorry to be vague, but, consider this the "choose your own adventure" part of the process. It really honestly depends on how spicy you like your chilis, and how you feel about poblanos vs. jalapeños vs. Hungarian wax peppers vs. Italian sweet, etc.  

Here's one recommendation:

2 green bell peppers, 4 Italian sweet peppers, 2 jalapeños, 3 poblanos

Ok, here's another (it will be spicier!):

1 green bell pepper, 3 Italian sweet peppers, 2 jalapeños, 4 poblanos, 3 Hungarian wax peppers

So, overall, you want about 10-13 peppers. 

Turn oven to broil. Prepare peppers by cutting off the tops, then slicing in half lengthwise. Remove all seeds. Place in casserole dish and spray with a little oil. It's ok if the peppers are all overlapping. To roast- honestly, you know your oven better than I do. You want them roasted, but not black. Sometimes I have to cover the peppers with foil to achieve this. OH! And- you might consider wearing gloves while prepping the peppers. Some might be violently spicy. Check on peppers after 45 minutes and reassess how long they need. If I'm doing a lot of thicker peppers, like bell, I roast a bit longer. Over-roasting will cause the peppers to disappear. Really. All that will be left is a black charred pepper skin. So don't do that. Let the peppers cool, and then cut into small pieces. Some people like to peel the skins off- sure, you can do that. It will take forever. I do when I'm feeling fancy, but really I could care less if my peppers have skin on them!

Ok, next! Add to large soup pot:

1 small onion, diced

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

After sautéing, add:

Diced, roasted peppers

1/2 cup rinsed uncooked quinoa

1 cup water

14.5 oz can of drained pinto beans (I love Tuner's)

1/2 cup green salsa (again, I love Wegman's brand)

1/2-1 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

Simmer, stirring once in a while, until the quinoa is done, about 30 minutes. You may want to add more water or salsa. Honestly I usually add way more salsa. YUM.  Serve with guacamole on top, or next to rice, if you want!

Oh, why is this called "Poblano" chili? Well, the poblano pepper has a more distinct taste than the others.