Smoky Beef and Black Bean Chili

I ran across this recipe and since I had a can of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce sitting around I decided to try it. I like it. But, I am a sucker for that smoky flavor. It's a bit spicy for my kids, so you may want to take the seeds out of your chiles. I also read a tip today suggesting that you freeze your chiles, making them easier to chop up without the mess - and also keeping them from spoiling before you can use them.

Smoky Beef and Black Bean Chili

-Adapted from Cooking Pleasures/Melanie Barnard

1 pound ground beef chuck

1 large onion, chopped

1 large orange bell pepper, finely chopped

2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons adobo sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 30-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

3 cups water

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook beef, onion and bell pepper over medium heat until the beef is browned. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in chiles, chili powder, adobo sauce and cumin; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes and water; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer at least 10-15 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.

Garnish with shredded cheese, cilantro and sour cream if desired. I served it with mini cornbread muffins and broccoli in cheese sauce.