Sweet Corn & Black Bean Chili

Is there anything better on a brisk fall day than a big bowl of chili? If you turned up your nose at that remark then you haven't had a GOOD chili. I made this chili for Dee's work party this week and hubby came home and ate so much of it that I had to make another batch!

This recipe was created specifically with my hubby in mind because he does not like big chunks of tomato in anything at all, but just throwing them through the blender first gives you all the amazing flavor while making this chili pretty hubby, (and kid), friendly too. The secret to this chili though is that it has cinnamon and sugar in it, which makes it warm and sweet and just plain delicious!

True to my form, this recipe is super simple and requires very little effort on your part. You can switch out different kinds of beans - northern, red kidney, pinto, or whatever you have on hand - and you can absolutely taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! For example, if you like it spicier, go ahead and add more red pepper flakes or chili powder. I've honestly even used jars of pasta sauce if I am out of canned tomatoes!

One of the ingredients listed below is Trader Joes Mushroom & Company umami seasoning blend. I have made this recipe for years without that seasoning blend and it is fantastic, but the umami seasoning, (which has a mushroom powder base), just adds another level of deep earthiness that just elevates it to a whole other level! So if you can get it, try it, but if you can't get it, don't let that deter you from making this. (Update, this has become a more common seasoning since I wrote this post and there are other brands of umami seasoning out there if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you!)

As a side note, this chili is excellent over baked potatoes, French fries, or just served in a bowl with sour cream, chopped onions and cheese as optional garnishes.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup onion powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes, (depending how spicy you like it)
1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Trader Joe's Umami seasoning - (optional)

3 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste, (from the tube)

56-62oz of San Marzano style tomatoes, (I use two large cans)

12oz bag of frozen corn
2 cans black beans, drained
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the salt, pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, chili powder, smoked paprika and umami powder, (umami is optional.) Stir in the concentrated tomato paste and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Blend your canned tomatoes in the blender and add those in. Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Add the beef broth, sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly because it will splatter as it boils.

Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to stop it from burning on the bottom. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. (I throw mine in the crock pot after bringing it to boil and just keep it on low until we are to eat it.) *Note, if your chili becomes too thick at any point, just add a little extra beef broth to it. Start with a 1/4 cup and go from there.

Serve with sour cream, chopped onion and cheese as optional garnishes. We also like to serve hot garlic bread or these breadsticks with it!

*Photos updated Sept 23, 2019

Comments

Cheesy Funeral Potato Casserole

One of my families most favorite side dishes are these ooey, gooey, creamy, cheesy potatoes. They are often referred to as "funeral potatoes" here in Utah, but I usually just refer to them as cheesy potatoes because it sounds less morbid. (Though they are to die for!) I have had many different kinds of "funeral potatoes" in my lifetime but this is by far my favorite and one of my most requested recipes. I have been making these this way since my hubby and I got married and have never changed the recipe. They are requested for EVERY family gathering we have, and I usually have to take at LEAST two pans. Even when I take in dinner to friends or family, there is a 95% chance they are getting ham and these because I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love them. These cheesy potatoes are full of shortcuts including using a bag of frozen southern style hash browns so you don’t have to chop up all those potatoes!! Just mix everything together, dump in a

Caramelitas

Layers of rich chocolate, gooey caramel and buttery oats... Caramelitas are one of my families favorite cookie bars. They are so easy to make and so gungy delicious, it's hard to stop eating them. You can actually half this recipe and put it in an 8x8 pan if you prefer not to make so many, but I love to make this in a big 9x13 pan and share with the neighbors. Seriously, you can't go wrong with this caramel and chocolate treat. These bars get even better the longer they sit, so it is better to make them the night before you want to serve them and just cover them with a small, clean towel once they have cooled a bit. I know, I know... how are you supposed to resist eating them? Trust me... they are worth the wait! Ingredients: 2 (11oz bags) *Kraft caramel bits (in the baking aisle) 1 cup whipping cream 2 cups quick cooking oats 2 cups brown sugar 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) melted butter 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

The only way I can describe this Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie is "a little slice of heaven." This is the first pie I ever made for my hubby when we got married because how can you go wrong as a new bride with chocolate chips and chopped nuts in a pie topped with cream? It is so deliciously rich and decadent, but sooooooooooo incredibly easy to make. I got this recipe from Nestle Toll House years ago, in fact the original recipe was a cut out from somewhere and stuck on a piece of paper in a make shift recipe box because there were no recipe websites back then! I knew when I saw this recipe that it was something I had to try and that it would be something my hubby would love because he LOVES warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies. I was not wrong in my assumptions. This pie is definitely as good as you think it's going to be. A flaky crust, gooey filling and slightly crispy top makes it heavenly! You can use a refrigerated pie crust for this recipe - I often

Goat Cheese and Roasted Tomato Puff Pastry Tartlets

Sometimes I want to feel like I'm eating fancy, but not put in a ton of effort. These goat cheese and roasted tomato puff pastry tartlets are SO easy and SO tasty!!!! You get the crisp of the puff pastry, the tangy creaminess of the goat cheese, the juiciness of the tomatoes and the herbaceousness of the basil all in one delicious bite. Take my advice and don't skimp on the goat cheese, (you can use plain or herbed... for me the more flavor, the better.) If for some strange reason you don't like goat cheese, (yes, there are people who don't), try substituting whipped cream cheese, mascarpone or ricotta. Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry dough 1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water Red & yellow cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced in half. (A minimum of 12 of each color.) 1 tsp olive oil Salt & Pepper Goat cheese Dried thyme Fresh basil, cut in to strips Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400. Unroll your pastry dough and cut in to 24 equal squares. (

Sweet Cream Pancakes (Copycat Black Bear)

I don't know what it is about Black Bears pancakes that make them so much more delicious than most pancakes, at least I didn't know until I did a little digging and and found out they are what they call "sweet cream" pancakes! Have you ever tried sweet cream pancakes? They are made with heavy cream which gives them a light, fluffy texture with golden edges that just melt in your mouth. I've never met anyone who doesn't love a good pancake. It's perfect for a crowd as you can just get out a big griddle and set out all kinds of different toppings to make it fun. These are my families favorite and we love sprinkling them with pecans, chopped bananas and pure maple syrup, or serving them with fresh raspberries and whipped cream. You do you though! The possibilities are endless!! My daughter, Dee, was very skeptical that we could recreate such deliciousness at home, but we both felt like this recipe absolutely nails it. Black Bear likes to make their

Instant Pot Turtle Cheesecake

It has been instant pot cheesecake world in my house for the past couple of weeks and believe me, no-one is complaining. My hubbies favorite cheesecake has always been turtle, so I thought, why not? Let's change up the crust and topping and see how it turns out! How it turned out was that this is his FAVORITE flavor thus far. (Not to mention it looked pretty impressive.) I'm telling you, instant pot cheesecake is my favorite texture cheesecake. I don't know that I will be able to buy store bought ever again. The number of flavor combinations you could do with this base is unlimited. (Think any kind of fresh fruit, pie filling, baking chips, nuts - what couldn't you do?) As always, remember that it is super important to have room temperature ingredients. This helps the cheesecake be smooth and creamy and NOT grainy! Also, you don't want to over mix the cheesecake batter once you are adding in eggs, so beat it as smooth as you can with the other ingred

Roasted Tomato Soup

I buy a lot of tomatoes each week for salads and sandwiches. Sometimes we don't get through them all, but I don't mind in the least because we love roasted tomato soup in this house and there is nothing better than making it fresh from extremely ripe tomatoes that have been sitting on your counter getting sweeter and sweeter every day. Pair it with an ooey gooey grilled cheese and I'm in heaven! If you have only ever had the canned condensed tomato soup, (yuck), you might think you won't like it. If you don't like onions you might think you won't like it. But let me tell you - my hubby does not eat tomatoes or onions on anything at all, raw or cooked, but he absolutely loooooooooves real tomato soup! The vegetables are roasted until soft and almost caramelized then the soup is pureed in to a smooth, velvety consistency. There are no chunks of anything in it at all, just pure delicious roasted flavor. Ingredients: 3-4 pounds of tomatoes 1 sweet onion 3 Tb

The Absolute Best Massive Chocolate Chip Cookies

My son brought home the most MASSIVE cookies from a place called Chip in SLC a few weeks ago. I'm not going to lie, they were absolutely delicious. So I did what I always do and looked for a copycat recipe. No such luck, but I set to work anyway! After a few test runs, I got the cookie exactly as I wanted... stuffed with chocolate and nuts with a perfect crunch on the outside and a soft, slightly gooey center. These are complete heaven, and we all agree that it is the best cookie I've ever made hands down. I have made and delivered literally hundreds of these cookies to friends, neighbors and co-workers and everyone loves them. I've even been told they are better than Chip or Crumbl! (You will have to be the judge.) Give them a try and be everyone's favorite baker! (If you aren't grasping how big these suckers are, check out the 16oz glass of milk behind them!) The key to these cookies is that you add the right amount of flour - I have always me

Sweet Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce (Huli Huli Sauce)

I wanted a sauce for our kalua pork dinner that wasn't as spicy as the sweet and spicy chili sauce I usually make because not everyone loves spicy like I do! This Sweet Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce, also known as Huli Huli Sauce is the perfect mix of savory and sweet goodness. I used the Huli Huli Chicken marinade recipe I have here on the blog as the base because it is sooooooooo delicious. I switched out the chicken broth for some pineapple juice, cooked it down to reduce a little and voila! The best Hawaiian BBQ sauce to use on pork, chicken, or whatever your heart desires. This sauce is easy to whip up in just a few minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Try it the next time you grill chicken or even just over your rice! (It goes perfectly with this 3-ingredient slow cooker Kalua Pork !) Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup ketchup 3/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup pineapple juice (Use from a can of pineapple in a pinch!) 1/2 tsp chicken bull

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork

The first time I ever made this Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork I did a huge pork loin, almost doubling this recipe, and my sons band who were over for dinner demolished every scrap of it. It was so incredibly yummy that I cooked it again just a few days later and it's been a favorite ever since. What I love about this recipe is that getting it in the slow cooker is so simple... just a few ingredients to rub on the pork and you can throw it in and let it get started. Then when it's closer to dinner time, you can throw the glaze together and start basting while you are preparing your side dishes. It's perfect for those mornings when you are rushing to get out of the house, and you get to come home to the most divine smell! We have served this pork over mashed potatoes, with roast potatoes and even with rice and tortillas. Ingredients: 2 tsp ground sage 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup water 3-5 pounds boneless pork lo

Donuts2Crumpets - A food blog with quick, easy & delicious recipes.

Search This Blog