Picnic Black Bean Chili

Fall is the time to take things along and spend time enjoying the outdoors! I learned as a teenager - when picnicking with my family my all-time favorite family activity - that you don't have to have sandwiches for a great picnic! Just take along a potluck-packaged casserole and bag of salad (Don't forget the plasticware and paper plates!) or a new-fangled seal-able to-go crock pot. Fantastic!

Hopefully it'll be cool enough to take chili along soon - love chili!


Picnic Black Bean Chili

1 pound black beans
1 pound bulgur taco meat, See the last post
8 cups water
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, opt
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
2 cups water

1. Mix cornstarch in with a little of the water, pressing out lumps until smooth and put with dry beans, bulgar taco meat, and spices (on low) in a crock pot overnight. You can fry up the chopped onion in the oil at this point (quickly, on high heat, until browned), or you can toss in the onions to cook overnight with the chili mixture.

2. Mix 2 cups of water and tomato paste until smooth and add to chili. Can continue to cook or serve immediately.