This is a nice recipe to have at your fingertips when days shorten and leaves start to fall. Chile verde is usually a long cooking stew that's made with pork, jalapenos and tomatillos. This version, which comes from Eating Well magazine, is made with ground beef and a commercially prepared green salsa or enchilada sauce. That means you can have this tasty supper on the table in about 30 minutes. Is it as good as its long simmering cousin? Of course not, but this quick version is very nice and your family will enjoy it. I serve the chile over rice and pass cheese, scallions and sour cream at the table. Fire-eaters will also appreciate finely chopped jalapenos or pepper flakes that can be added to their bowls. If you are looking for a quick week night chile and have reasonable expectations of what can be done in 30 minutes, you'll enjoy this riff on classic chile verde. Here's how it is made.

Beef and Bean Chile Verde

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 (16-ounce) jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce

1/4 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed

Direction:

Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Yield: 4 servings.

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