Southwestern Chili with Corn

I found this recipe in a Real Simple cookbook and it lives up to the name. It's simple, fast and really tasty.  It was originally a beef chili, but I tweaked it to make it meatless.  I'll include the meaty directions so you can decide how you want to make it.

1 T olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
{1/2 pound ground beef, omit kidney beans}
2 T tomato paste*
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 T chili powder
3 cups vegetable or beef broth {or water}
kosher salt & black pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over meduim-high heat.  Add the carrots, onion, and peppers and cook, stirring, for three minutes.  {Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.}  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.  Stir in the beans, chili powder, broth {or water}, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the corn.  Serve, {topping with shredded cheese and diced scallions.}  We love this with Pancheri cornbread.


*I used to hate using only a few tablespoons of tomato paste, because I usually ended up throwing the leftovers away. It finally dawned on me that I could freeze the extra in silicone ice cube trays.  I do that until they're solid, then throw them in a freezer bag in the freezer.  It works perfectly to throw into soups later. I just wanted to pass along my a-ha! moment*