Chili's Black Bean Soup

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1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup boiling Water
1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) canned black beans, not drained
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons garlic, granulated
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 teaspoons chili powder
8 ounces smoked sausage, small dice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
In a medium stock pot, place the olive oil, onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the bouillon cubes, and allow to dissolve.
Add the bouillon, cooked beans, and the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water) to sautéed vegetables. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook approximately 15 minutes.
In a blender, puree 1 quart of the soup, and put back into the pot.
In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water. Add the cornstarch mix to the soup and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
Serve with cornbread, white rice, or your favorite side dish.