My favorite chili recipe

This a great hearty Chili with Southwest flavor

What you'll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped (I use 1/2 red and 1/2 green pepper)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cans black beans
• chili powder
• 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed)
• grated Cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese
• sliced scallions

You may also want

• Ground red pepper and/or Chili pepper flakes
• Ortega Medium or Hot Taco Seasoning

Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add the carrots, onion and peppers and cook, stirring, for approximately 3 minutes.  Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with spoon until it is no longer pink.

Add 2 tablespoons tomatoe paste (keep the rest handy) and cook until it becomes slightly darkened.  Now add beans, chili powder, diced tomatoes, around 3 cups of water and black pepper.  Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender.  Now add the corn.  If your corn wasn't thawed ... simmer it a bit to thaw the corn.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and scallions.  Serve with tortilla chips or cheese quesadillas.

Depending on your tastes, you may want to add ground red pepper and/or Chili pepper flakes.  I add both because we like it to have some "heat".  We also sometimes add some Ortega Taco Seasoning (in a bottle) to add to the flavor.