Beef and Beer Chili with Jack Quesadillas

Here's a warm, fit-for-fall meal as promised. And this was really tasty. And easy! This soup doesn't have to be simmering for hours; it was ready in a matter of 30 minutes.

Just saute up some red onion, red bell pepper, extra-lean ground beef, and minced garlic. Stir in chili powder, cumin, sugar, and kosher salt. Then add dried oregano along with red kidney beans, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and a 12-ounce bottle of beer. Towards the end of cooking, stirring in some cornmeal helps thicken the chili a bit and a squeeze of lime adds to and brings out the flavors.

I went ahead and served this with some quesadilla wedges. A nice multi-grain tortilla adds even more heartiness. Just monterey jack cheese, and some chopped green onion and cilantro.

I could not believe how not heavy this meal was. I mean, beef and beer?! But this Cooking Light recipe is actually low in fat and high in fiber. And the flavor is great. It's a little spicy and the flavor of the beer really does come out. I used Sierra Nevada pale ale. Also, I've learned to keep recipes like this low in salt by using low-sodium broth and no-salt-added diced tomatoes. I also like to rinse canned beans as I drain them before adding to anything. It gives you more control in monitoring your salt content.

Well, I have some ground beef leftover. Prepare yourself for an interesting post (meal post (not to be confused with the cookie post that is also coming)). Dinner tonight will definitely be creative. I guess ground beef could make for several not so unusual meal options, but why would I do that? :)