Twenty-Minute Beefy Black Bean Chili

There's a certain romance about a big pot of chili simmering seductively on the stove all day – except when it's a busy weeknight, no time for thinking, let alone tending the stove. This is a chill-blasting chili that cooks in 20 minutes, start to finish. The recipe uses a couple of favorite convenience products, black beans and salsa, both easy to keep handy in the pantry. This column was first published in print in 2003 and was published online for the first time in 2011.

March days can chill our bones! We are so ready for spring but winter somehow just hangs on. And on and on. And on.

For a fast warm-up, turn to Twenty-Minute Beefy Black Bean Chili for supper some damp, cold night. It requires only 20 minutes from stove to table so is also a good choice for a last-minute supper. If you like the recipe, keep the ingredients on hand in the pantry and freezer so you can cook up a batch at a moment’s notice.

ALANNA's TIPS After draining the first can of beans, I mash it right in the colander with the back of a spoon. To save mashing one can of black beans, substitute a can of refried black beans.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

QUICK SUPPER:
TWENTY-MINUTE
BEEFY BLACK BEAN CHILI

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Makes 6 cups

• 1 pound stew meat cut in bite-size pieces or lean ground round broken into bite-size chunks
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans
• 1 cup salsa
• 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon prepared chili mix (or 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne)

• For serving, cheddar cheese and fried corn tortilla strips, optional

Heat a large, well-seasoned skillet on medium high, add the meat to the dry skillet, let the meat cook, without moving, for a minute or two until a crust begins to form, then turn to cook another side. Repeat two or three times as needed. If needed, drain off any fat that collects.

Meanwhile, drain and mash one can of beans. Add the mashed beans and the remaining ingredients and stir. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serve topped with cheese and tortillas.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Cup: 301 Calories; 6g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 31g Carb; 10g Fiber; 1149mg Sodium; 67mg Cholesterol; 31g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 6 & WW PointsPlus 7

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