Mexican Fiesta Week!

It's January, it's cold, so last night we cooked up a big ole pot of Black Bean and Pork stew. It was kinda like chili but with slightly different beans and meat. I really love chili (we had it twice last week), but this is very tasty too. When would I make this instead of chili? I'm not sure. Maybe if pork was on sale. This is really good, though.

Black Bean and Pork Stew
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 lbs. center cut pork chops, thin cut
3 T cooking oil
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 jalapenos, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. chili powder
1 T cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Trim bone and fat off pork, cut into 1/2" cubes. Heat oil in pot over medium, add peppers, onions, garlic, jalapenos, cook 10 mintues, stirring. Add pork and cook another 10 mintues, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to med-low, stir in chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, cook one minute. Add beans and tomatoes, cover and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes.

We ate it with some rice under it, and a little sour cream or shredded cheese on top of it.

On the side we had homemade cornbread. Trader Joe's cornbread mix is so so so good, I didn't think homemade could be better. Since there's a little distance between Murphysboro, IL and the nearest Trader Joe's, I had no choice but to make my own. The verdict: homemade is better than even the Trader Joe's box mix. It's also cheaper and almost as easy as a box mix. So, just make your own cornbread.