Slow cooker (crockpot) recipes can really save you from a lot of stress around the dinner hour. Usually you dump everything in the pot and turn it on, so they are super easy. If there’s a chance you won’t have time in the morning, you can put everything in the pot the night before and refrigerate it. Also, if you have enough wet ingredients in the pot, it’s fine to run over the cooking time – way over. The recipe below suggested 4-5 hours and I had it on for ten hours and it was perfect. I could have but didn’t even add extra sauce.
I wasn’t feeling much like eating meat this week and chili is a great way to eat vegetarian, because there are so many ingredients in it that you get the chili flavor and a very hearty meal. This is a recipe I modified from one in the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. You can use whatever kinds of beans and pasta that you want, and substitute or use a combination of garden tomatoes for the canned tomatoes.
Vegetarian Chili with Pasta
2 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
½ – 1 sweet onion chopped (~1 cup)
½ cup chopped bell pepper
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 t chili powder
1 t cumin
½ t oregano
¼ t paprika
1 C cooked macaroni
Combine all of the ingredients except the pasta in the slow cooker. Cook on low at least 4-5 hours or high for 2 hours. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package and add to the chili. Stir and serve. Top with whatever you usually like on chili.
