Abbie's Modified version of Wendy's Chili

 2 pounds ground beef or turkey

28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (or a quart of tightly packed tomatoes from last years garden)

2 cans 15 oz kidney beans

2 cans 15 oz pinto beans

1 diced onion

2 cans green chilies

3 stalks of celery, diced

giant handful of spinach

frozen corn (as much as you want)

2 cups cooked red lentils (optional for extra fiber and protien)

2 teaspoons cumin

1-2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons chicken bullion

salt and pepper to taste

Depending on the thickness you prefer, you may need to add water.

Cook lentils and set aside.

Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.

Cook beef, or turkey, adding some chili powder, cumin, garlic salt to season then set aside. Make sure it's good and crumbled to small pieces. 

Saute onion and celery (and any other veggies you want to hide in there, sometimes I like mushrooms or carrots).

Add cumin, chili powder, and chicken bullion powder to pot with veggies to bloom.

Add canned tomatoes, lentils, and spinach (as much as you would like without altering the color too much). If you need some liquid add some of the bean juice.

Using an immersion blender, blend it all together to make a thick sauce. Thin it out with the reserved bean liquid, if you run out then add some water. Occasionally I will add some freeze dried tomatoes to help with the color if it's looking a little green.

Add meat, beans, green chilies, and corn. Adjust the liquid to your preference. 

You can eat it when the corn is warm or you can simmer for as long as you want just keep an eye on the liquid to make sure it's not burning on the bottom of the pot. 

Wendy's Copycat Chili

 2 pounds ground beef or turkey

1 can tomato sauce (29 ounces)

1 can kidney beans (29 ounces) with liquid

1 can pinto beans (29 ounces) with liquid

1 cup diced onion

1-2 cans green chilies

1/4 cup diced celery

3 medium tomatoes, chopped (or a can of diced tomatoes)

2 teaspoons cumin

3 tablespoons chili powder

1.5 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups water OR chicken stock

Brown the meat in a pan over medium heat and crumble into small pea size clumps, drain grease.

In a large pot combine the cooked beef and all other ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2-3 hours.

OR use a crock pot or instant pot and cook for hours stirring between. 

Serve when ready, top with cheese, sour cream, green onions....... serve with Stephanie's Corn Bread. 

White Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

 1 TBL olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

2 cups diced sweet potato

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup jasmine rice (rinsed)

1 (15 oz) cannelloni or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup baby spinach or kale, coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, avocado and wedge of lime for serving.

Heat the oil in medium saucepan and add onion, celery, and sweet potato with the spices.  Cook for 5 minutes until fragrant and then add the rice and stir to coat.  Add the beans, broth and stir to mix.  Cover and simmer the soup for 5 minutes over low heat until rice is cooked stirring occasionally.

Stir in the spinach or kale.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in bowls topped with fresh cilantro, avocado and lime wedge on the side.  Serve with whole grain tortilla.  Add a spoon of low fat plain Greek yogurt or low fat cheese if you like.

Bean Salad

1 can green beans
1 can wax beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup sliced red onion (slice very thin)

(marinate dressing)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Open all cans of beans and put in a strainer to remove all liquid.  Mix sugar, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in separate bowl.    Put beans, sliced onions and chopped green pepper in a glass bowl.  Pour marinate dressing over the beans, onions and green pepper.  Cover and refrigerate over night.

Cafe Rio Black Beans

1 Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 C Tomato Juice
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs Fresh Chopped Cilantro
Cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over med heat until you can smell it.  Add remaining ingredients, stir until heated through. Serves 6

To cook for a crowd of 120 20x the recipe:
19 lb Canned Beans (20 cans)
6 1/2 C Tomato Juice
2/3 C Cloves Garlic, minced
1/3 C Ground Cumin
2/3 C Olive Oil
1/8 C Salt
2/3 C Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Crock Pot Refried Beans

6 c dry pinto beans
1 c sour cream
2 c Picante sauce
1 c shredded cheese
8 oz cream cheese (can start with 4 oz and add more to taste)
3 Tbs. salt (added to the cooking beans)
1 Tbs.Cumin


Put dry beans in crock pot.  Cover with water -- approx. 1 ½  cups for each cup of beans.  Add 3 tablespoon salt.  Turn on high for 6-8 hours.  Watch beans and keep water at or above the level of the beans.  When beans are soft, drain most of the liquid (reserving some liquid) mash with potato masher or immersion blender.  Add remaining ingredients and mix (add liquid as needed).   Freeze in Ziploc bags.

Instant Pot Version:

5 c dry pinto beans

2 Tbs Salt

Fill to the max line with water

Cook for 75 min

Drain the beans but reserve some of the liquid for blending.

In Blendteck, make two batches and blend into each batch: 

1 tsp Cumin

2 oz Cream Cheese

1/4 c Sour Cream

20 oz Salsa

1/4 c Shredded Cheese

Mades 4 soup containers full of beans