Correspondence with my Daughter: Chili
In the future I think I am going to try it with turkey, and possibly a little less bacon to make a healthier version.
Comfort Chili ( I can’t think of a good name)
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 jalapeno peppers chopped
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground pork
8 oz. hunts tomato sauce
2 cans petite diced tomatoes ( i liked the petite cause they were perfectly bite size)
16 oz can kidney beans
16 oz can chick peas
Couple slices of bacon chopped finely (to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
I did look in my cookbook archives for a chili recipe with turkey. I had one and looked it up on the Cooking Light website but they only had one review and it was mediocre. So I put turkey chili in the search box and came up with one that I thought was pretty good, with about 40 very good reviews. I went to the store, got all the ingredients. But of course as soon as I get home, I think of the Epicurious website. So I went on there and found a better recipe, with over 300 excellent reviews. Good thing the ingredients were similar or back to Shoprite (that would have been my fourth visit this week, starting with Tuesday, geez). Anyway, I like it. Of course, I did change a few things: I only used 2 cans of beans instead of 3 and one of the cans was garbanzos peas (I love them!), added sugar and the Chipolte Pepper in Adobe Sauce. It called for beef stock/broth but I used chicken broth instead. I wanted to use a different chili powder, like McCormick Hot Mexican-Style Chili Powder but I was afraid. I do not have the tolerance for that much heat as you and Ian do. So that could definitely be changed. Or adding the ground ancho and chipolte chili and the mexican chocolate like your recipe, would be excellent additions. (I need to look for those, somewhere, my supermarkets are not that ethnic).
Turkey Chili with White Beans
(adapted from Bon Appetit)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 pounds (24 ounces) lean ground turkey
2-4 tablespoons of chili powder, depending on your heat tolerance
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2, 15.5 ounces of petite diced tomatoes (I like this size too!)
3 cups of chicken broth
1 Chipolte Pepper in Adobe Sauce, finely chopped
1, 8 ounce can of tomato sauce (or homemade)
1, 15.5 ounce can of small white beans, rinsed and drained
1, 15.5 ounce can of garbanzos peas, rinsed and drained
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.
Add onions and saute until translucent and tender about 10 minutes.
Add oregano and cumin and stir one minute.
Increase heat to medium high and add turkey, stirring until no longer pink, and breaking up with spoon or metal spatula (haha!).
Stir in chili powder, cocoa powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon.
Add tomatoes, broth, Chipolte Pepper and tomato sauce.
Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans to chili and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Serve with garnishes of your choice: cheese, onion, fresh cilantro, sour cream, fresh squeezed lime juice and also Cornbread. This is my super quick Cornbread ‘recipe’: “Jiffy” corn muffin mix, follow directions on box but then add 1/3 cup sour cream to mixture. Continue with the mix directions. I have also read, to add a small can of creamed corn to the batter. Sounds delish.
Recommend making the chili the day before. (but we ate it same night and it was very good.) Also can store extra in freezer.
Love always,
Mom
Perfecting Deliciousness 