Substitute for Chili

On cold, dark, and snowy nights like tonight I always want something hearty and hot to eat.  I usually end up with making some chili, which is good but one can only eat chili so much.  I tried out a new recipe with my boyfriend and it turned out to be really good, meatball stew. 

You take some meatballs, about five or six for every person you are planning on feeding, and brown them in a pot, the one you will cook the stew in, with some olive oil, basil, and oregano.  Then you take the meatballs out of the pot.  Then you add a whole onion and two bell peppers, both chopped up.  Add in some minced garlic to your preference.  Let them cook in the olive oil that is seasoned by the meatballs until the onions become transparent.

Then you add some chopped up potatoes, about two medium sized potatoes for about four servings.  Let the potatoes cook until they become soft.  Then you add some chopped up mushrooms.  I like mushrooms so I use one of the medium sized packages of mushroom you can get from the store.  And you quickly add in some chopped up green beans. 

Once it looks like the green beans and mushrooms are cooked add the meatballs back in and pour in two 12 ounce cans of diced tomatoes and let it stew.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If it is an oven safe pot you can even put it in the oven to cook and meld all the flavors together.

You can serve it as soon as the stew is hot and the meatballs are cooked all the way through.  I use the frozen meatballs because they are easier but if you make your own you brown them from being raw and add them into the stew to cook.  Note, the longer it cooks the better it is.  It is a great alternative for chili on cold days like today in Colorado.