Crap, that Soy Chorizo that I claim to swear by, it's Reynaldos, NOT El Rey brand.

Here is a quick and easy recipe for chili beans I came up with that happens to be vegan too. The wife & kid seems to like them, though they often humor me out of pity. I usually just eyeball everything, but I wrote it down as I made it last time. So feel free to play with the amount of garlic, mushrooms, etc etc. There's no hard fast rule to this one.

VEGAN CHILI BEANS

4          Garlic Cloves (Large – diced fine or pressed)

1 Cup    Diced Portobello Mushroom (finely diced to a ground meat consistency)

1 Tbsp.  Olive Oil

6 oz.      El Rey brand Soy Chorizo (1/2 of a link/packet)

( I insist on El Rey, it's the only Soy Chorizo that tastes "right" in my opinion.)

40 oz.     Pinto Beans – canned (or cook 1 pound of dry beans from scratch)

½ Cup     Yellow Onion (diced medium)

1 Tbsp.    New Mexico Chili powder (HOT)

              Salt to taste

1. Heat up oil in large pot or wok type pan.
2. Add garlic and mushroom. Sauté for 2 minutes to release garlic flavor.
3. Add ½ of Soy Chorizo (3 oz.) to pan and mix well with garlic and mushroom. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes making sure not to brown the mixture.
4. Add the beans and all of the liquid in the can to the mixture and mix well bringing to a boil.
5. Turn down heat to a very low simmer and add the rest of the Soy Chorizo.
6. After 15 minutes add the diced onions
7. Continue cooking down until desired consistency is achieved (approximately another 15 minutes) add vegetable broth or water if it gets to thick/dry.
8. Add Chili Powder 10 minutes before beans are finished and mix well into beans.
9. Salt to taste after Chili Powder is added. Additional salt should not be needed if using canned beans, but is necessary if making beans from scratch.

Oh, and of course, garnish as you like with more onions, cheese, etc. Eat by themselves, or in an omelet, over fried corn tortillas, etc etc.

Looks interesting. I've done red cabbage with some peanut & sesame oil and fish sauce. Also had some celery & other stuff in there too. Wasn't half bad as my usual disasters.  This recipe looks pretty interesting as does that squash & tofu one.

Could this be it?

1 head red cabbage
1 tbsp butter
1/2 red onion (julienned)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (cider)
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

3/4 tsp cumin seed (toasted and ground)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper (fresh ground)

1  Cut cabbage in half lengthwise and cut out core. Cut each half lengthwise again, then cut each quarter crosswise into 1/2 inch cubes.

2  Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Add cabbage and saute, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until tender. Add the vinegar, sugar, and cumin and mix well. Lower heat to medium low and simmer 20 minutes more, until juices are syrupy. Cabbage should be tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

3  This can be made ahead and reheated when needed.

More Recipes

Can anyone help me out? A few years ago someone served me stir-fried red cabbage (and I think that was all it had in it, 'cept mebbe some salt or sugar, but I can't find any recipes this simple. Could it be Mexican? Any ideas?

Stir-Fried Tofu, Red Cabbage and Winter Squash

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil

1/2 pound firm tofu, cut in 1- x 2-inch dominoes

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 pound butternut squash, cut in 1/2-inch dice

Salt to taste

1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

Rice, bulgur or buckwheat noodles for serving

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the rice wine vinegar, sugar or honey, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact. Add the tofu, and stir-fry until lightly colored, about three minutes. Remove from the pan, and season to taste with soy sauce.

3. Add the remaining oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the butternut squash. Stir-fry until it begins to color, five to eight minutes. Add salt to taste, the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, and add the cabbage. Stir-fry until the squash is tender and the cabbage is crisp-tender, about six minutes, adding about 1/4 cup water to the pan from time to time if the vegetables begin to stick. Return the tofu to the pan.

4. Stir the sweet and sour mixture, and add to the vegetables. Stir just for a few seconds until they are glazed. Remove from the heat and serve with grains or noodles.

Yield: Serves four.

Aw, now that's a hubby! Haha, well what can you do if yer husband is whiskey keg?

Sounds delish! I'll make this to fight winter. Since Tortilla chips are a regular in this household, they will meet this as a dip soon!

SPITE: so much good stuff on this! - Next thing I'm gonna try is the Tacoquila - I have a week spot for, let's say "strong" flavored drinks from Mexico.

FRITZ: Yep, read that one too! Prooves our instincts on greased up food are right.

DAVE: Thanks for the chili there - sounds great! Will do this sometime next week and give a report. I love all that stuff with lime juice, scotch bonnet and honey. The oats tip also sound good! Yankee style is always a day to day kind of choice - I can't make up my mind! Burgers, mostly flat-top, yes, but sometimes I'll likely throw some fire in the pan by the way of brandy or other spirits - when I feel like smelling like that for the rest of the night, haha. + I'll try that steak for sure!

MARDY: You got it!

That site rules!

Spite Classic said:

Well, you asked for it!  Don't take any of his insults personally...I'm pretty sure he's just talking to me.  Cooking For A**holes    If you want to make Margueritas with ground beef - you NEED this!

Anyhoo, how 'bout some Chili?

First, put about a quarter-sized shot of olive oil in a skillet, and add any spices you will want, cumin, cayenne, pepper-medley (peppercorns), etc. Heating up herbs and spices will make them taste stronger. Transfer to a pot.

Next, add some decent ground meat and brown in the skillet (If you want yr chili to go a bit further you can add some oats while the meat cooks), then bank the meat so that the grease runs down to the other end of the skillet (I know, skillets are round, bear with me ;)

Once the grease has collected down there, transfer the meat to the pot and throw away the grease (Don't put it in the sink, it'll clog up the drain. Let it cool, then put it in the trash). Set aside.

Cut up whatever veggies ya like, (i.e 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 Bell pepper, 2 Jalapeno peppers, cilantro,etc.) and add them to the pot. Then mix in 1 can of tomato paste, and reheat, and if ya like 'Yankee'-style chili (I do) throw in a can of yr favorite beans.

Towards the end of cooking I like to add a little lime juice, and dice up 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, seeds an' all (you will want to wear gloves while you handle it) for it.

You can even add a little honey to it, it melds nicely and cuts some of the heat from the Scotch Bonnet.

What I love about chili is the fact that you can add anything to it, and it always tastes great. The Bachelor's life-saver!

So, Idon Mine, I'm guessing when ya talk burgers, yr more of a flat-top grill kinda guy, not flame-kissed...?

p.s If you try that Jack Daniels steak recipe, lemme know how good it is!

Read something recently online where they've recently discovered that it's not so much the deep-fried food that's bad for you, but the type of oil used to fry it in. As long as you're using good oil, it's not bad for you! Wish I could find that link now.

Ok, what I really need to know is a fool proof way to cook brown rice properly. I always mess it up. Too mushy or else to crunchy & under cooked.

I never wash the rice before cooking it.

My method for long grain rice (makes three cups):

1 cup of rice

3 cups of cold water

Bring the water to the boil in a large pot

Add a pinch of salt

Add rice and bring the pot back to the boil, turn the heat down until you can see the rice moving but the water is not boiling hard out.

Stand by the pot, whistling a tune stirring the rice occasionally.

Boil the kettle.

After about 15 minutes taste the rice, when the hardness of the rice is how you like it remove from the heat and drain.

Place the rice in a strainer and pour the boiling water from the kettle through the rice, when the water runs clear serve it up and chow down.

I might have said that differently than I meant to.....EC Comics are not easy to find , but , they're out there.  The reissues , of course , are plentiful.

John Battles said:

E.C. WAS to comics what Punk Rock was to music (I still like both , but , I'm not seeing E.C. reissues on the magazine rack when I go to the grocery store. I AM hearing Punk Rock songs. I'm Ok with that. All the E.C. Horror titles were made an example of , as the very reason youth was being corrupted in The 50's , that , and , of course , Rock'n'Roll music. They could'nt ban Rock'n'Roll outright , but they could sure neuter the shit out of it. E.C. CARRIED ON , WITH inoffensive titles like "Impact !" and the last comic book - form issues of Mad.

Bill Gaines and his "Gang of Idiots" were actually accused of promoting Communism among American youth (Never mind the fact that they took shots at Soviet leaders just as quickly as our own.). They struck back , with a great PSA , stating that there's a place where the people who are trying to ban E.C. comics could already have their way , because free speech is not tolerated . Russia . But , of course , the squares had their way . Let's just all be thankful the original E.C. comics are still easily obtainable as reprints. 
 
dave said:

Yeah, EC is still the shit all these years later! Just see how many other comics, zines, and rekkid covers still use their horror covers as templates for design. Nice cover, 'You got gooood taste!'

The Amphibious Man said:

Thats so awesome! I've never heard of that one. Definitely going to try to find it. This is my personal favorite:

What the guys at E.C. comics did in the fifty's is some of the coolest stories ever and the art is incredible. They recently released all of the Tales From The Crypt and Vault of Horror series in their own separate full books with every issue in them! I just finished the Vault of Horror one and it was awesome. Definitely worth checking out if you're into those kinds of comics.

dave said:

He HAD to make that up , come on !  Max Schrek (Who starred in "Nosferatu"), his last name meant fright or terror in German  , but , more recent accounts have stated that really was his name.
 

Wow.....Flash Gordon is the....Boy , I don't know , words fail me. Another "Train Wreck You Can't Walk Away From" movie.
 dave said:

This actually hasn't come out yet, but I can't resist. They are making a Disney version of John Carter of Mars, and even the studio heads are shaking their heads, BUT this is the best part, the actor's last name is Kitsch!!! AAAA!, it's just-too-perfect!

(But he won't take the place of Sam Jones for quoteability. Flash Gordon is the Spinal Tap of fantasy films [or something like that].)

Chinese Iced tea

Blog

HORCHATA! (Mexican sweet rice drink)

{God, this stuff is so good, I can drink gallons of it!}

Ingredients

1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
2 quarts water
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine rice, water and cinnamon stick. Set aside for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
Puree rice mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Flavor with vanilla and sugar to taste. Chill, and serve over ice.

Mike replied to dave's discussion

I'll have to try that! Here's a garlic condiment I've had at Lebanese restaurants, but never tried to make myself, yet. Pretty amazing if you love garlic.

Lebanese Garlic Dip

Proles should take every soap box available, it's the only way to get heard. I guess it becomes cringeworthy when it starts to get preachy, like you're telling other how they should live and think as opposed to commenting on what you see happening around you. In terms of lyrics, you can do it in a more abstract way where those who share your political leanings will get what you're on about and those who don't care will simply take the tune as it is and belt out the chorus. Our previous incarnation, The Vipers, were pretty politically charged in terms of the lyrics, but there were only one or two reviewers who picked up on it. Most simply chose to focus on the music. There's a chance that if you're too preachy that you'll alienate some people. What you really want to do is try and get the ideas in their heads without them realising I guess.

Have currently got two on the go, depending on my mood. "Why it's all kicking off" by BBC journalist Paul Mason, which is a dissection of the reasons for many of the protests we've recently seen the world over and the role of networking and new technologies in aiding protests. It's a good read. I also recommend his book "Live Working, Die Fighting" which is a history of current union movements in developing countries and a comparison of their movements with those of old.

For fiction I'm working my way through the first H.P. Lovecraft omnibus. Great psychological terror.

This is killer... will pass it on for sure. Great job keep it going would love to see more.

I'm starting to see that! Check out this recipe for-

Tabouleh (wheat salad)

* ¾ cup fine grain Bulgar wheat
* 2 large tomatoes , peeled
* 1 medium onion , very finely minced
* 2 cups parsley , very finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon white pepper
* ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1 Soak the bulgar in a large bowl of warm water for one hour.

2 take the seeds and core out of the peeled tomato and dice them very small. set aside for about an hour (do this while you soak the wheat so they are both ready at the same time).

3 Line a mesh colander with a heavy paper towel, or a dishtowel and drain the wheat into it. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

4 Now drain the tomato of any water it has collected.

5 Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve.

[Note: If you don't like parsley you can substitute cilantro (cross-pollination!)]

Thanks! Just did! I hope to gear up like you other guys here, I'll have to outfit my discussions with recipes and pics!