Vegetarian Tofu Chili & Cornbread

Vegetarian Tofu Chili

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, diced (preferably vidalia)
1 bell pepper, diced (preferably red, yellow, or orange)
3 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes (with or without green chilies or jalapenos... dealer's choice)
3 (15.5 ounce) cans of beans (light or dark kidney, black, cannelini, navy... dealer's choice)
1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. chili powder
3 Tbs. cumin, divided
1 Tbs. paprika (sweet or smoked)
1 Tbs. red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of oregano
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. cilantro
salt & pepper, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
1 (14 ounce) package of extra firm tofu, drained, crumbled, and patted dry

Directions: (The method I use is stupidly simple and beyond easy.)
*Step one: Plug in a large crock pot.
*Step two: Dump in all ingredients except the tofu and 1 Tbs. of the cumin.
*Step three: Set crock pot to LOW for 6 to 8 hours and forget about it. This is best when done overnight.
*Step four: When the chili has been cooking for at least 6 hours, take the drained/dried tofu and spread it out on a baking sheet (lightly sprayed with cooking spray), sprinkle on the remaining 1 Tbs. of cumin, and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Why do this extra step? The texture of the tofu changes and becomes "meatier" which holds up better in the chili. After the tofu has baked to desired texture, stir into chili base and unplug the crock pot. Let the chili set for at least an hour (though longer is better) to allow the tofu to fully absorb the spicy goodness.

Not-So-Crumbly Cornbread

Ingredients:
2 (8.5 ounce) boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1 (14.7 ounce) can of cream style sweet corn

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a lightly greased/buttered baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!