Chili

If there is a dish that can instantly warm you up on a cold cold winter day (like today), it would be chili. For some reason I had always thought chili is complicated and requires a long time, but I was wrong! Chili is actually very easy and is so versatile. You can use beef, chicken, turkey, plain vegetables, or a combination of all and it would still taste as delicious. I love that chili is a one-pot meal, and one pot meals = easy clean up! What I also love about chili is that you can easily create the dish with things you already have in your fridge and pantry (beans, corn, onions, left over meat and vegetables, etc). I actually created this chili recipe one day when I was snowed in, and it was perfect for the snow day :)

Turkey Chili


Ingredients-
1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium to large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 cans corn kernels
1-2 cans red kidney beans
1 28-32oz crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbs tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tbs red pepper flakes
2 tbs ground cumin
2 tbs ground chili powder
2-3 dashes of hot sauce
Olive oil


1. In a deep pot, cook all the turkey with some olive oil until meat is cooked. Transfer the meat to a plate, put aside.


2. With 1 tbs of olive oil, cook in the garlic, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until the vegetables are semi-soft, then add in the cooked turkey.


3. Once the meat and vegetables are combined, add the can of tomatoes, bay leaf, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, hot sauce. Stir until combined, then add the chicken stock. Lastly, add corn and beans.


4. Let the chili simmer for at least 20 minutes. I like to let it simmer for at least an hour for all the flavors to blend and vegetables to soften completely.


5. When served, top chili with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped scallions and cheddar cheese.


Personally, chili is served best with grilled corn bread. You can also serve with bread, tortilla chips. I have also had chili with spaghetti noodles in Hawaii.
 
Another tip: if you don't have certain ingredients on hand (jalapeno pepper, diced butternut squash or zucchini, fresh tomatoes, other kinds of beans, etc) and would like to add them in, you can simply add them in any time, just let the pot simmers for at least 20 mins. Like I said, chili is so easy and versatile, it's going to be yummy no matter what!