Spicy Black Bean Chili

Sorry I don't have a picture to post, guys! It was sooo good that we gobbled it up before it even occurred to me to snap a picture first! Ooops! Maybe I'll post one later.

Yields 4 Servings

All measurements are approximate. I screwed up this recipe and it turned out SO FREAKING GOOD and so I'm trying to remember how I made it and putting it down here....

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups water

5 bouillon cubes (I used beef...but veggie ones can be used to keep this recipe vegetarian)

1 medium onion, cut up (1/2 cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp cooking oil

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1 tsp paprika (I used half "smoked paprika" and half "hot paprika")

(I was very generous with my paprika...so feel free to just be generous, too! hahaha)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground red pepper (I was more generous than this, too....)

1 (15-16 oz) can stewed tomatoes with green pepper and onion, I believe the can had in it....

sour cream, optional

Pour the can of tomatoes into the blender WITH the liquid from the can. Give it a few pulses to chop the tomatoes up. Set aside until you're ready for them.

In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and red pepper. Cook and stir for one minute. Add the beans, water, bouillon cubes, tomatoes (from the blender).

Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Ladle into individual bowls and top with sour cream, if desired.

So, yeah, like I had said, I screwed up the recipe (at least the amounts of the spices) because I got distracted joking around with my daughter. I thought I had ruined it.

Then dinnertime came.

And Antonio stirred the pot and without even tasting it, exclaimed "Why are there so many vegetables in here?!" And I replied "....because we eat mainly vegetarian foods??" To which HE replied "But why can't you make good chili, like Steak and Shake or Wendy's?!"

Which pissed me off.

Then he ate a bowl.

And got up and got himself another bowl.

Then he looked up from his bowl and said "This is SO MUCH BETTER than those other chilis!!! We need to use only vegetables in EVERYTHING we eat!!"

hahahahaha

So...whew!! Pouring in spices all willy-nilly didn't ruin my chili at all!! Yay!!