Petit Foodie

Happy Wendseday everyone! I hope your week is going well. 

I made this awesome chili over the weekend and have been enjoying it all week. 

 That’s the beauty of stews and chilis they only get better with time…much like life, I suppose.  It’s strange the older wiser you get the more aware you become of such simple things, like the importance of family dinners. Growing up my family and I sat down to dinner every night and I never thought anything about it. It was just all six of  us around a big table with good home cooked food.  I’ve come to realize not all families have that and just how very fortunate I was to have that kind of stability in my life. 

It’s been cold and rainy here and I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to warm weather.  Nothing is more appealing than a spicy chili on a cold rainy evening. 

Black Bean Soup

Adapted from here and here

{Ingredients}

3 cans black beans

1 lbs lean ground beef

2 cans tomato sauce {or one can sauce and one can diced tomatoes}

2 cups chicken broth

½ large onion

2 cloves garlic {minced}

1 red peppers {finely chopped}

1 green pepper {finely chopped}

1 hot pepper {finely chopped}

1 can corn {or one cup fresh, frozen corn}

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

3 tsp chili powder

1 T fresh lime juice

S+P

{Directions}

1. Sauté peppers, onion and garlic in 1 T EVOO. Once they have softened add ground beef.   Cook until meat is done.
2. Add black beans, tomato sauce, lime juice and broth.
3. Bring to a boil and add seasonings. Reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer on low for several hours. Add corn about 20 minutes before you serve.
5. Serve as is or over brown rice.

Ava and I thoroughly enjoyed this homey meal.  It was a very peaceful evening we shared together.