Recipe Fridays: Black bean chili with arugula "Waldorf" salad

These are two vegetarian recipes from my mom.  I haven't tried them yet, but she promises they're both delicious, and hard to mess up!  The chili has a lot of steps, but no fancy techniques--you just keep adding things to a big pot.  The cooking time is about 1 1/2 hours, so start it 2 hours before company arrives!

Black bean veggie chili
(to feed a small army, or freeze for another time.  You may want to halve this)

Heat 3 T olive oil in large pot

add:
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
and saute until soft

add:
1-3T good chile powder (e.g., New Mexico Red)
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t cumin
1/4 t ground cloves
Stir for 1 min

add:
3 15 oz cans black beans drained (or 6 c cooked black beans)
large can diced tomatoes
2 C water
1 C dry red wine (you know you have some left from dinner)
3 T cornmeal
1 1/2 t oregano
1 t salt (to taste)
Simmer 1 hr until thick.  Check seasonings, and add more salt or chili powder if needed.

add:
2 poblano chiles--diced (or bell peppers for less spice)
4 nopalitos diced (cactus leaves--find them in a Mexican store--get the de-spined ones)
(substitute any crunchy green veggie)
3 ears corn shucked (or 2 cups frozen corn kernels)
Simmer 20 minutes until peppers are tender and flavors have blended

add 1T fresh lime juice, and serve with grated cheddar cheese or yogurt or sour cream on top


Arugula "Waldorf" salad
For 4

4 oz arugula
2 oz goat cheese crumbled (or a bleu cheese)
1/4 cup dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup walnuts
12 slices apple chips (can crisp dried apple slices in oven at 225 until brown--
they will harden in the air as they cool--put them back if they do not break crisply)

arrange on plate, drizzle on dressing, break apple chips over top

pomegranate vinaigrette:
2 T olive oil
2 t champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 t unsweetened pomegranate concentrate (or cranberry)
1 t agave nectar
salt, pepper to taste