We?re straddling the delicious gap between summer and fall – in California at least. It’s 80 degrees today! I love this time of year because we get to enjoy the best of both worlds. The days are still warm, but the nights are cool and crisp. Farmers? markets start winding down this month in many parts of the country, giving us only a couple of more weeks to enjoy local produce. As we embrace the change in seasons, it?s time to make a big pot of hearty vegetable chili.I?ve got a major thing for chili. I grew up on my grandma?s chili ? the smell of it simmering on the stove is the thing I remember most about her house. She always had a bowl of oyster crackers on the table for adding some crunch, too. If you?re a crackers-in-your-soup kind of person, I encourage you to add them to this chili. They taste so good after they?ve soaked up the flavorful, spicy broth.This hearty vegetable chili is a great way to use up leftover veggies from the farmers’ market. Of course, if you?re making this chili in February, using local veggies will be challenging. In winter and spring, you can use frozen corn and canned tomatoes to make this dish and thaw your frosty taste buds. It?s a great reminder that warmer weather is on the way.You can use any type of bean you like in this hearty vegetable chili, but I chose pinto and kidney beans. I recently got into pinto beans and I absolutely love them. They add a nice creaminess to soup, stew, and chili. Black beans would also make ...