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Prep Veggies: De-vein and dice peppers, dice onions.
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Shuck corn and then remove kernels from the cobs. (It's easiest to do this over a bowl to avoid corn going everywhere.) Cut the cobs in half and set aside. Don't throw them away yet!
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Cut the ends off the calabaza. Cut each squash in half lengthwise; chop into 1/2 inch slices.
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Begin adding ingredients to pot: Add onions, peppers, and diced garlic; sauté in olive oil until soft.
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Add ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika and cook until beef starts to brown. (For a lighter version, pause here to drain the oil from the beef.)
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Add canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
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Add calabaza, corn cobs and bay leaves. Add pasta. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Leave covered and cook for 20-30 minutes. The longer everything stews together, the more intense the flavors will be.
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Remove corn cobs and bay leaves before serving.