Ancho Beef and Bean Chili

Todays' recipe is from the Weight Watchers Points Pus Power Foods cookbook, page 69

2 dried ancho chile peppers, seeded and torn into pieces
2 dried pasilla or New Mexico red chili peppers seeded and torn into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 1/4 cups canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.

1. Set medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add ancho and pasilla peppers; toast until fragrant, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes.  Transfer to medium bowl; add enough boiling water to cover peppers.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Drain peppers, reserving 2 tablespoons of soaking liquid.  Combine peppers, reserved soaking liquid, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and cinnamon in mini-food processor or blender and process until smooth.

2. Spray large saucepan with nonstick spray; set over medium heat.  Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onion softens, about 4 minutes.  Add ancho pepper mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add steak and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in broth and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered 20 minutes.  Stir in beans and simmer, covered until beef is tender and chili thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. 

makes 4 servings

6 WW Points Plus per serving

269 cal, 6 g total fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 g transfat, 31 mg chol, 362 mg sod., 29 g carb, 5 g sugar, 12 g fiber, 27 g protein, 48 mg calc.

May cut up 4 tortillas into 1 inch strips, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chili powder and bake for 6-8 minutes, until crisp.  Points/Nut info would vary depending on tortillas used.

My changes:

Used can of pintos as that is what we had on hand
couldn't find dried peppers (despite looking in 3 stores) so used 1 fresh pasilla and 1 fresh Anaheim chili, seeded, chopped and sauteed.
Byron added crushed hot red pepper to up the heat level
used less onion than called for (Byron doesn't much like onion, so I routinely cut onion in recipes by about 2/3 - 3/4)
added 4 t olive oil (1 t per serving) to add in 1 healthy oil serving (1 PP) per serving, bringing PP to 7.