Hot and spicy meat and bean stew with bacon, smoked sausage, chuck steak, pinto beans and garbanzo beans.

Spicy Meat Stew

5 strips of bacon
1/2 pound smoked link sausage, sliced
1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 red chile peppers, seeded, chopped*
2 jalapeño, seeded, chopped*
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1. In a large saucepan cook strips of bacon until crisp. Drain; crumble and set aside. Place sliced link sausage into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until browned. Drain; reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings, set the sausage aside.
2. Using the drippings: In a skillet cook diced chuck steak, onions, green bell pepper, and garlic clove. Cook until the beef is brown. Add red chile peppers, jalapenos, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Mix in water and tomato paste. Add the bacon and sausage; simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Fold in pinto beans and garbanzo beans. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.

Makes 8 servings.

*Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.