Black Bean Chili with Turkey Sausage

Another Bunny recipe for you.

Chili...with tons of flavor from black beans and sweet Italian turkey sausage.

This is good and spicy, with tons of flavor...and finished with lime juice and cilantro, which just gives it FLAVOR, people.

So brown the meat with the onion.

And then add seasonings and spices and Dijon mustard...I've never added mustard to chili before, and it gives it a tangy flavor without actually tasting like mustard (my husband doesn't like Dijon but he loves this chili).

Now add the tomatoes, of course.

Simmer it for a little while before you add the black beans, lime juice and cilantro...

And I would have taken a picture of the finished product, but I forgot.  I made this for friends and by the time I made myself a bowl and topped it with cheese and sour cream, I was no longer thinking about this recipe or my blog.

I was only thinking about eating.

Black Bean Chili with Turkey Sausage

2 T olive oil
2 onions, diced
19 oz. (or a pound) sweet Italian turkey sausage (removed from casings)
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
8 oz. can tomato paste
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 T cumin
4 T chili powder
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
2 T sugar
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

For serving:
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Avocado, sliced
Fritos or tortilla chips

Heat the oil in a large soup pot and saute the onions for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Add the sausage and ground beef and cook, breaking it up into little pieces with a wooden spoon.  When the meat is cooked, drain off most of the fat and return the pot (with the meat and onions in it) back to the stove.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, cumin, chili powder, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano and sugar.  Stir it well to combine and toast the spices and herbs.  Add the crushed and diced tomatoes with the water.  Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.  Stir in the lime juice, cilantro and black beans.  Heat through and serve with desired toppings.