So… I got new pots and pans!!! AND KNIVES!! WOOHOO!! I was having serious issues with my glass top oven, and it cracked, and now the glass is falling down inside of it, and I have 2 good burners… it was time to get a new stove! So, we got an electric induction stove! We found out afterwards, I had to get completely new cookware… oh darn! Right?! So, I wanted to make something tonight that I could use one of my new pans, and some of my knives… chopping necessary… SOOOO, southwest quick chili it is! And, it was DELICIOUS! To me, it was a bit spicy, but didn’t stop me from enjoying every drop in my bowl. Now, my father in law and husband were saying they had no clue there was much spice to it… so… if you like it FIERY… add a jalapeno… ??? 🙂

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 can “rotel”, or TJ Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilis
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 2 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• dash of hot sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 yellow and 1 red mini bell pepper chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 2 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, mini bell peppers and can of tomatoes and green chilis and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.
4. Stir in the beans, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic, ground cumin, hotsauce, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
5. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the corn.
6. Divide the chili among bowls and top with the Cheddar and scallions and pieces of avocado… sour cream if so desired.

Seriously good. This will be repeated this winter FOR SURE! We had this with some Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips from Trader Joes and it was just so good. I thoroughly enjoyed my new cookware, and my new knives made cutting carrots and peppers seem like I was cutting butter… amazing. Seriously. I enjoyed cooking AND eating this one! 🙂

And now, for the quote of the day: