Turkey Chili

When the weather starts to get cold in the Bay Area, nothing warms better than a bowl of chili. One of the things I like best about making chili is that you can throw in so many things and it almost always tastes great. Both of my boys really like beans and ground meat, so with those two things, I can even get them to eat a few tomatoes and peppers since they are mixed in. I have been trying lately to stick more to really lean meat, so tonight I made a chili with all white meat super lean ground turkey. Of course you could make this recipe with ground beef or chicken, and feel free to take some license with the add-ins as well. Sometimes I add corn and sometimes I use different kinds of beans. The truth is, I don't usually cook chili with a recipe at all, but tonight I paid attention to what I did so I could share the goodness with all of you. Dan and I like our chili spicy, so we always add hot sauce to our bowls. The little guys prefer it mild and they both cleaned their plates tonight.

Turkey Chili

Timing - 30 minutes

Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 large can diced tomatoes (28oz)
1 small can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 T tomato paste
2 t salt
shredded cheddar cheese, green onion and sour cream for serving

How to Make
Brown turkey, onions and pepper in a large pot. When brown, add the garlic and cook for about another minute until fragrant. Add chili powder and the cumin and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes and beans, tomato paste, salt, and about a half a cup of water to the pot. Bring to a boil.

Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste and serve with cheese, onions and sour cream.