March 9: Three-Bean Chipotle Chili

I'm finally caught up, yay! Tonight's meal was a "hearty stews and chilies" meal. I started it at about 3PM (when my open house was over, after no one showed up). I gathered all the ingredients:

I heated up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet, then added a chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and 2 cloves of minced garlic:

I transferred that to the crockpot, then added 1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo, a can of tomato paste, and a cup of water:

To that I stirred in a large can of pinto beans rinsed and drained, a can of white beans rinsed and drained, a can of drained garbanzo beans, and a cup of canned corn. I cooked it on low for 3 1/2 hours:

I served it with sour cream and shredded Cheddar:

I really thought I would hate this dinner because it looks so bland. On the contrary, the chipotle peppers give it such a depth of flavor, and the garbanzo beans really add a meatiness that the other beans don't have. My husband didn't even complain that there was no meat in it - like he usually does. I loved the chunks of veggies in it too. This is a really great vegetarian soup, so great if you are on a tight budget.