it's what's for dinner

one thing i love about fall is big huge pots of soup, chili, or stew. i have been thinking about making this one particular dish my family loves. so i got all the ingredient together and got busy! (of course it's so durn humid here it won't be a cozy meal. poop)

let's call this

Mexican chili with extras

1lb ground beef, very lean or you could use ground turkey or chicken. i've used them all
1 green pepper chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic (we love garlic here) minced
1 jar (medium size) salsa, i got the store brand but use whatever you prefer
1 small can rotel
28oz can diced tomatoes, i used petite
2 cans 16oz (or make your own from dried) black beans
2 cans 16oz hominy
2 cans 16oz re-fried beans (i use fat free)
1 box chicken broth or use your own homemade or bouillon
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
chopped kale (i didn't measure i just grabbed several handfuls and tossed it in)

first i browned the ground beef. i like to take it out of the pan, drain all the grease out, and wipe the pot with a paper towel. then i added some olive oil and put in the peppers, onions, and carrots. let them sweat for about 6 or 7 minutes. then add the garlic for another minute or two. then add the cumin and cinnamon. stir them around so they coat the veggies and start to give off a great smell. about 2 minutes. then add the chicken broth. make sure you stir the good bits off the bottom of the pan. yum!
this is where i start opening cans. i open and drain the black beans and the hominy. then rinse them really well. they can be really salty and i like to control that on my own. add them to the pot. then add the salsa, rotel and tomatoes. stir in the ground beef. mix well. put in the refried beans. make sure you mix them in until they are dissolved. i bought kale to make kale fries for co-op tomorrow but i had too much so i decided to chop it up and put it in too. let it come to a boil, then put the lid on and simmer until you are ready to eat!
this recipe makes A TON so we will eat it all week and possibly freeze some. sometimes i'll add sour cream or shredded cheese. oh and if the kids are not eating it i'll add in pickled jalapenos. makes it nice and spicy!!