Vegetable Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1/2 inch dice (3 cups)

1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, coarsly chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup quartered fresh mushrooms

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large tomates, chopped

1 (16-ounce) package frozen black-eyed peas

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring often until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add yellow squash, zucchini, red and green pepper, celery, mushrooms, and carrots.  Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, peas, wine, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.  Cool, put in zip-lock bags, label and freeze.  Put shredded cheese in a zip-lock bag, attach to soup in the freezer.

To serve: Thaw.  Heat soup in a sauce pan until hot.  Top soup with shredded cheese.

Serves 6 to 8.

Taken From: 365 Easy One-Dish Meals by Natalie Haughton (Harper & Row, Publishers 1990).

My Notes:  This dish lends itself to great versatility.  Got some leftover veggies, throw them in.  Good with other kinds of beans too.  It makes lots and lots, so you might want to divide it up in the freezer unless you have a lot to feed.  Italian bread is good with this.