So I made some chili last night.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t really like chili. But I thought, “Let’s try a new recipe.” So I did.

This was the recipe:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 2 scallions, sliced

This is what I ended up using:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 skinny carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
• 1.35 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 5 tablespoons leftover sauce from the other night
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (TOO MUCH TOO MUCH TOO MUCH!)
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed) 1/2 bag frozen corn
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
• 2 scallions, sliced

I tried to eyeball the veg, and see what I needed. Carrots are yum in chili (but not in salad, grated. I hate stringy carrots, they are sneaky) and the pepper was good. The onion was delicious, and sauce works great as a replacement for paste.

All I can tell you is even though I kind of doubled some things and didn’t double others, one thing is for sure: I used too much chili powder. I thought since I was doubling the meat, some of the veg, and adding a little extra water, it would not be as spicy.

Man, I was wrong. Jeff ate a bowl, but told me he might not be able to do it again. Which means I am stuck with a pot of chili I’m not in love with in the first place + it is too spicy.

I must say, though, it is pretty tasty as far as chili goes. Maybe I do like chili, after all. I just have to have a bottle of water next to me… (picture to come.)