Turkey Chili

There's no denying it, fall is in the air. With the temperatures dipping down into the 30's and 40's, this time of year demands cozy blankets and something hearty to fill our tummies with. I don't know how you feel about the fall, and impending winter, but the only thing that keeps me going is the promise of the soul soothing and tantalizing food just waiting to be made.

One such dish that the King of Chicago and I really look forward to making this season is chili. With beef being a thing of the past around here, we've happily made the switch to turkey and haven't looked back. If you are wanting to make the switch as well, because of a desire to be healthier and leaner, take care to chose lean ground turkey breast only. Regular ground turkey is actually just about the same in nutrition when compared to ground beef.

I'm really big on is buying my beans dry. Canned is more convenient, sure, but do you know what's in there? Lots of salt, calcium chloride, sugar, and who knows what else. When you make your own at home, you're always in control as to what you're putting in your pot, and mouth. Buying dry beans is also much more economical than buying canned. A bag of dry beans is about a buck fiddy, and you can get the equivalent of at least four cans of beans after soaking. All that is required is a little preparation.

Turkey Chili – makes 8 to 10 servings

2 lbs lean turkey

1 small yellow onion (diced)

4 cloves garlic (fine dice)

2 cups dry beans (mix of kidney, black, and navy beans), soaked and rinsed

1 can original Rotel

1 can Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes*

1 Tbsp chili powder (recipe to follow)

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 c chicken stock (preferably homemade)

2 dashes Frank's hot sauce (or other)

salt and pepper

*If you are having trouble finding this brand of canned tomatoes at the supermarket, try Whole Foods.

Procedure:

The night before you want to have chili, sort, rinse and soak the beans according to the directions on the back of the bag. There is a quick soak method that can be used, but I find that they don't hold together as well this way. Don't forget to add salt to the water when soaking or they will be bland.

In a large stock pot, brown the ground turkey, seasoning with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder. For this recipe, we used a home made chili powder. The idea was really due to the fact that we were out of chili powder and didn't want to go and buy it at the store. It turned out so well that the KoC and I have just decided that we're not going to be buying it pre-made again. Granted, our recipe doesn't contain the same number of different chilies, but is still darn good and doesn't have fillers and additives.

Chili powder:

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

I believe that there is powdered oregano out there on the market, but powdered herbs lose their potency quickly, so grinding your own works best. Put your spices in either a spice grinder, or if you are lucky enough to have one, use a mortar and pestle and give them a good go. It's going to come out lighter and more tan than your conventional chili powder, but that's normal.

Once you have the turkey done, strain the meat in a colander to get rid of the excess fat, and set aside for later. To the empty stock pot, add your diced onion and sweat them until they become translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute or two before adding back in the reserved turkey and the beans.

Now put all the remaining ingredients into the mix. I personally have a problem with the texture of cooked tomatoes, so I pureed both the Rotel and Muir Glen tomatoes. If you don't have the same hang up, feel free to skip that part, but I really feel that it makes the chili have a better consistency. Bring the chili to a boil, then cover and simmer for about an hour.

This soup is so delicious, but rather mild in heat. If you should wish to kick it up a notch, add another can of Rotel. When the KoC and I make chili or soup, it's always a big batch so that we can freeze whatever we have left over. It's so nice to have it on hand for those days when you want something really comforting, delicious, and fast. With a little pre-planning, you can pull a batch from the ice box and let it thaw in the refrigerator, anywhere from 24 to 48 hours. Properly packaged chili will last up to three months in the freezer.

Now, if you will excuse me, we've got some chili to eat and some football to watch. Enjoy!