MidWeek Mini: A Chili Recipe

Evening meals in the fall should be warm and served in bowls. The kind of thing you could eat on the porch while bundled in a cable sweater watching the early sunset. The kind of thing that steams cozily on the table while you scrunch your feet into slippers and listen for the 6:00 jazz to start on the radio. The kind of thing that's so good you're craving it again already by next week.

This chili recipe is one we'll be coming back to frequently this fall. It's hearty, warm, and good for you too. We all love it, even my husband who has never liked chili.

What You Need:
olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 heaping T chili powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 lb ground turkey
2 T tomato paste
1 one-ounce piece of dark chocolate
1 bottle or can of beer (alternate: 12 oz beef broth)
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer the petite diced)
1 can black beans
1 can great northern or cannellini beans
1 can whole kernel corn

Your Turn:
Pour a swirl (maybe 1 T) of olive oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over low heat.

Peel and chop 1 onion. Add it to the pot. Cook about 5 minutes, until onion is soft.

Add 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 2 heaping T chili powder, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and 2 bay leaves. Stir to combine flavors. Cook until fragrant, about 3 more minutes.

Add 1 lb ground turkey and 2 T tomato paste. Stir to break up meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add 1 oz dark chocolate and 12 oz can or bottle of beer. Stir to combine.

Add 1 can diced tomatoes (petite diced are best). 

Using a large colander, rinse 1 can black beans, 1 can white beans, and 1 can corn. Dump all three cans into the colander and rinse gently in the sink, stirring with your hands. Add this mixture to the stock pot.

Now you can choose your own adventure: If you're in a hurry, cover and simmer on low for about 30-40 minutes. If you have time (and this is what I recommend), dump the whole thing in the crock pot and let it cook on low for 4-5 hours. Be sure to remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve with hot cooked white rice, cornbread, shredded mexican cheese, sour cream, chopped black olives, and hot sauce.

Got an autumn recipe you plan to cook on repeat this season? Share the link!