Redo Indian Summer Chili, by Diane

 

This snowstorm I decided I wanted a pot of chili, and I created this hybrid version of my decades-long fave Indian Summer Chili. It is more robust in the flavors, not as sweet, and honestly the best flavor combo of chili to come out of this kitchen in a long time! YUM.

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 tbsp EVOO

1 medium sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 cups sweet rainbow peppers, chopped

1 15 oz can sweet corn, drained

1 15 oz can bean trio, drained (whole foods has this- pinto black and kidney bean mix)

1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 15 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 cup smoky bbq sauce

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp Tony Chacere's (or enough until salted and spicy- the GOAT)

2 tsp Balti seasoning

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, brown the beef into crumbles, drain partway and set aside.

2. Use the remaining liquid from the beef, add EVOO, and brown onions until charred. Add garlic in the last minute and brown as well. 

3. Remove from pot and cook peppers in the liquid until soft, then add back the meat and onions.

4. Add remaining ingredients and let bubble, then simmer for at least one hour. Adjust seasoning to taste. The longer this cooks the better it is, and always better the next day!

Texas Style Chili, by Diane

 

I got this recipe from Kelly's Clean Kitchen, and she has won several chili cookoff awards with it. I was interested in the roast meat vs ground beef, and it has several different ingredients in it I wanted to try. I made a few corrections in terms of liquid because the recipe called for way too much and I'm glad I did, and I know texas chili does not have lots of beans but I wound up adding in more to make this more of a meal. Unfortunately, this was just ok. I wouldn't make it again- but I will be eating it all week... 

Ingredients:

2 lb chuck roast, cut in one inch cubes

Salt and Pepper

Avocado Oil

1 white onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one green)

1 poblano pepper, diced (I blistered the skin of this)

1 jalepeno pepper, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained (I wound up adding a can of pinto too)

1 can hatch chiles

4 cups beef stock

1 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp cumin

1 bay leaf

 1 lime, juiced (I skipped this it was already tangy and liquidy)

1/4 cup cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat oil and brown beef on all sides, set aside.

2. Add onions, bell pepper and poblano to the pot and cook until translucent. Add salt, jalenpeno and garlic and cook 2 min.

3. Add remaining ingredients through bay leaf and return beef to the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 2 hours or until beef is tender. (it says to cook with top on but the liquid was already too much so I skipped this)

4. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Sweet Chili Shrimp, by Cheryl

This is a simple and delicious recipe that I made the other night when I had no idea what to make. Searching through my freezer I found not one, but two bags of frozen shrimp! I also had a bottle of sweet chili sauce, so a recipe was made! The only rice I had was sushi rice so I cooked that and it was a hit with 3/4 people (we never get the 4th one lol). Overall, this was a quick and great weeknight meal for the family. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp (I used frozen, but might be better cooked in the sauce)

Scallions, chopped

Red pepper, sliced

Minced garlic

Some ginger

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, maybe more

Olive oil

Directions:

1) Saute red pepper for a couple of minutes in oil. Set aside. 

2) Add some red chili sauce to the pan and arrange the shrimp. Cook about 3 minutes each side? 

3) Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and a little more sauce. Mix together. 

4) Serve with cooked rice. 

Wendy's Copycat Chili, by Diane

I couldn't get over how accurate this copycat was, nor how easy!! I loved having this all week long, and it was so much healthier than the fast food version I grew up loving. Recipe from Chef Bob Tate. The interesting part of this recipe was that you don't drain the beans, and I swear that must be part of the secret. 

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef 90/10

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced celery

1 oz butter

1 15 oz can each of kidney beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (do not drain any)

1 10 oz can rotel

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

1. Brown and drain the ground beef, reserving just a bit of the liquid.

2. Add remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer for 2 hours. (recipe said to add beef stock as you go every 15 minutes but mine never got too dry and wound up perfect as is!)

 

Easy Asian Rice Cakes, by Diane

 

I've seen these posted on several accounts over the years, and decided to make them the other day as a side dish to a Korean menu I made for family friends. This was quick and easy, and really flavorful! The sauce would also pair well with regular noodles as well. 

Ingredients:

1 small pack rice cakes, frozen

2 tbsp chunky peanut butter

2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1 tbsp chili crisp oil

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced

Directions:

1. Boil the rice cakes until completely cooked through and soft- not mushy or chewy!

2. While the rice cakes boil, mix the remaining ingredients together in a sauce and taste to adjust. 

3. Pour sauce over rice cakes and serve immediately!

Smoky Fiesta Chili, by Diane

 

I created this recipe offhand when I went off a 9 week anti-inflammatory protocol and missed tomatoes, corn, and beans! This is really really good, pretty healthy, and very easy to make. It’s great for the colder weather, and because it’s so multi-colored it looks like a fiesta!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 lb ground turkey

20 sweet peppers, sliced

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz can kidney beans

1 14.5 oz can black beans

1 14.5 oz can sweet corn

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles

2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce

2 stalks green onions, sliced

1 square bakers chocolate

1 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp each onion and garlic powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp Tony Chacere’s (adjust to taste)

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot to medium high, melt the coconut oil and add in turkey. Break up with the back of a spoon, cook until browned and drain (save the juices).

2. Add the juices back to the pot and cook the peppers, yellow onion, and garlic until soft. 

3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed. 

Pork Chili Verde, by Diane

This week starts 7 weeks of an anti-inflammatory protocol, and since the weather was getting colder I really craved chili. The problem is that tomatoes are off limits, which is the base for most chilis, and white chili is filled with cream and dairy, which is also off limits and full of fat. I came across this recipe for a Whole30 chili verde with pork, and decided to give it a try. Chili verde was my most favorite thing to eat in Colorado, and I was hopeful this would hit the spot. This recipe was a total winner!! Not only was it so flavorful and unique but it was so quick and easy to make. Definitely will be on rotation this winter!!

Ps- I cheated and used ground pork to save time/money rather than pork tenderloin, and it was still amazing!

Ingredients:

2 jalapeños, blackened (I used 1/4 of one and didn’t blacken it) 

1 16 oz can diced green chiles, hatch chiles preferred

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

6 tomatillos (about 2 cups rough chopped)

1 tbsp oil

2 lb pork tenderloin, cubed (I used 1 lb ground pork)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, diced (I kept skins on)

1 green bell pepper, diced 

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp salt

1.5 tsp chili powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

6 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup coconut milk 

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine jalapeño, chili peppers, tomatillos, and cilantro until chunky. Set aside. 

2. In a large soup pot, add oil and pork to the pan, cooking 7 minutes until browned (for the ground pork I just cooked until done).

3. Add in the garlic, onion, potatoes, bell pepper, and seasonings and cook for another 7 minutes.

4. Add in the chicken broth and pepper mix and stir to combine, bring to a boil for 5 minutes and then turn down to simmer for 30 min. 

5. Add in the coconut milk and adjust seasonings, garnish with extra cilantro. 

Healthy Veggie Chili, by Diane

3/4 of our family is on Whole 30 right now, so for last weekend's football playoffs we searched around for a chili recipe that didn't have beans in it. We found this recipe, which turned out to be a total dud. In short it didn't include any tomato sauce and was low on spice so it turned out to taste more like a really thick minestrone soup. We saved it with the ingredients I'm posting below though, so it turned out alright! Not pictured are the avocados some of us had with it as a topping.

Ingredients:

2 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 each red, yellow, and orange pepper, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
3 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt to taste (We use Tony Chachere's b/c it adds just the best amount of salt and spice)
1 28oz can tomato sauce
Optional: diced avocado topping

Directions:

1. In a large pot, brown the meat along with onions and garlic. Drain and return to the pot.

2. Add in peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes, cook 10 minutes stirring often to soften. Cover the pot while cooking so the steam speeds up to cooking.

3. Add in spices, stir well, then add in tomato sauce.

4. Simmer for 30-60 min until the veggies are soft. Note: this isn't a good chili to keep on the stove for a long period of time as the sweet potatoes will break down and thicken/sweeten the chili too much!

Cacao Beef Chili, by Diane

This recipe comes from @daniellewalker on IG. I was intrigued by the combo of spices and the addition of the unsweetened chocolate, and it's been freezing again here, so this was an easy choice to make for dinners last week! I really liked the way this came out, it was similar to mole sauce and not as heavy as traditional chili can be. I got to use some of the raw cacao paste I got in Belize recently for this as well!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, diced
3 lbs ground beef
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2.5 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp each: sweet paprika, curry powder, cinnamon
1/4 tsp each: cayenne and red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat and saute onion and peppers for 3 min.

2. Add the beef and cook until it's browned, the drain and return the mixture to the pot.

3. Add remaining ingredients except the chocolate, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

4. Add in the chocolate, continue to simmer for 45 minutes.

OMG Chili, by Cheryl

Looks too good to be my picture! It's from here

I love this chili! This might be the best chili recipe I've made yet. The beer and coffee base makes this super flavorful (and coming from someone that doesn't like coffee that's saying a lot!). I love the addition of the chocolate and brown sugar as it adds a unique sweetness to the dish. I didn't add too much spice to it since I was serving it to the kids, but some heat would be nice in it! Definitely make this! Yum!

Ingredients (from here):

olive oil
ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, finely chopped
1- 12 oz bottle of beer
1 big can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 serrano pepper
1.5 tbsp cumin
1.5 tsp coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt
1 can kidney beans
1 can cannellini beans

Directions:

1) Place a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Brown the meat and transfer to a plate.

2) Add a little olive oil and the onions and cook for a minute. Take two large sips of beer and add the rest. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee, and, tomato paste.

3) Add the brown sugar, chile sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for one hour.

4) Add the white beans, stir, and continue to simmer for 1-2 hours. Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili, by Cheryl

I tried to add quinoa to soak up some liquid, but it didn't have time to fully let it absorb :/

No, just no. I feel like this had so much promise, but it was way too thin to be a chili and lacked that hearty taste. And speaking of taste there was a lot to be desired. I did not like it, Jon thought it was okay, and Julia picked out the chicken and just ate that. At least it was easy to make. Yum? No.

Ingredients (recipe from here):

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, etc.)
2 small cans diced chilis
3 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano,
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
fresh lime wedges
toppings: avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Directions:

1) Place chicken at the bottom of the crockpot. Top with chicken broth, white beans, green chilis, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-4 hours. Remove chicken breast and shred. Set aside.

2) With an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it leaving some beans whole. Stir in shredded chicken and cilantro. Portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of lime juice. Add other desired toppings.

Chicken and Plantain Stuffed Chili Rellenos with Homemade Enchilada Sauce, by Diane

On my recent return to Texas, I rekindled my love of chili rellenos! I forgot how good these things were. I wanted to recreate them back at home (already missing my family and that FOOD!!), but in a healthier version. Chili rellenos typically consists of the mild but large poblano pepper that is charred and then stuffed with cheese, battered, and deep fried. I usually get mine with chicken, and there are a variety of other ways that you can fill them.

Since I didn't want to bread or fry mine, and I always try to avoid cheese, I had to do some thinking on what to fill my version of chili rellenos with. I came up with a concoction of some of my favorite latin flavors, and they really combined nicely for an awesome dish! I also found a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce, after learning what crazy ingredients store-bought enchilada sauce contains. The enchilada sauce recipe was an amazing flavor- way better than store bought!

This recipe creates a pepper that still has a bit of crunch to it, which I've often eaten. I like my peppers softer, so next time I may steam them after removing the skin and before stuffing them.

Recipe for crockpot chicken enchilada sauce from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/super-easy-slow-cooker-chicken-enchilada-meat/

Guide to charring and prepping chili rellenos from: http://www.chow.com/recipes/29565-chiles-rellenos


Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne (or more depending on your preferred heat level)
6 poblano peppers
EVOO
1 small yellow onion, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow ripe plantains, cubed
1 small can mild green chiles (or hot if you want!)
1 can black beans, rinsed


Directions:

1. Place chicken in the bottom of a crockpot. In a blender, combine tomatoes through cayenne until well blended, and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Remove chicken and shred, then return to sauce, setting the crockpot on warm.

2. In the last 30-60 minutes of the chicken's cooktime, prepare the poblanos by slicing them vertically down the center from top to tip, careful not to slice all the way through. Make a second cut to form a "T" shape right below the top (see the link for the prep of rellenos above for a great illustration). Using a spoon, remove the ribs and seeds of the peppers and discard. Set the peppers aside cut side up.

3. Now it's time to fire roast the chilis. If you have a gas stove, you can turn the flame to a medium setting and roast them directly on the burner until they blister and char on all sides. If not, you can place the chilis on your oven rack and broil on high, turning so all sides can char. After charring, place the chilis in a large bowl and cover tightly for 15 minutes to steam them. This allows for easy removal of the charred skin, which you should do carefully with a butter knife and discard the charred skin.

4. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO on medium high heat. Add in onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and chiles, cooking for another 2 minutes. Add in plantains and cook for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in the beans and cook for another 2 minutes and remove from heat.

5. In a 9x13 baking dish, pour enchilada sauce on the bottom to coat the dish. Place the chilis cut side up in a single layer. Stuff with the shredded chicken and plantain mixture, and pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes until sauce is bubbling.

Slow Cooker Mole Chicken Pumpkin Chili with Hominy, by Diane

I've stumbled across another delicious use of pumpkin this week! This recipe could not have been easier or less time consuming. It has layers of different flavors thanks to the spices in the mole, and the pumpkin adds a richness to the chili that makes it even more warm and filing. The hominy in here is a fantastic idea, and is my favorite ingredient in here! I switched to ground chicken because that was what I had on hand, but I would like to try it with the shredded chicken as used in original recipe because I think that would be great too! One note: I would recommend tasting the sauce before adding it to the slow cooker as mine definitely needed more salt.

Recipe from: http://fooddonelight.com/slow-cooker-mole-chicken-hominy-and-pumpkin-chili-giveaway/

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil, divided
4 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
⅛ tsp. fresh ground black pepper.
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. pureed chipotle in adobe sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup natural peanut butter
1 (15.5 oz.) can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp. oil.
2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with ½ tsp. salt and pepper.
3. Brown chicken in the skillet for 4 minutes per side, and place into the slow cooker.
4. Add remaining 2 tsp. oil to the skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
5. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, place on top of chicken in slow cooker
6. To the hot skillet, add chili powder, cocoa powder, garlic, chipotle, cumin, cinnamon and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
7. Add chicken broth and stir together.
8. Carefully pour into a blender and add the pumpkin puree, tomatoes and peanut butter. Puree.
9. Pour over the chicken. Pour the hominy and red pepper on top.
10. Cook on low for 4 hours.
11. Take chicken out, and place on a cutting board.
12. Remove from the bone and cut into bite sized pieces.
13. Top with cilantro.

Pumpkin Poblano Turkey Chili, by Diane

This weekend was extremely cold, and with outdoor events each day, we had a lot of trouble warming up! I decided to make a batch of chili, but wanted to try something new. I came across this recipe and tweaked it a bit, and it came out amazing!! The pumpkin blended into the chili in a very unexpected way that made it more savory and delicious! I will definitely be making this again!!

Original inspiration from: http://www.threebeansonastring.com/pumpkin-poblano-turkey-chili/

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 tbsp EVOO
1 large white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz can sweet corn
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes and liquid
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
Salt and pepper (I LOVE Tony Chachere's, it is the absolute best chili spicy salty seasoning!!)


Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, brown the turkey, crumbling into small pieces, and drain. Set aside.

2. Add EVOO to the soup pot, then add in onion, peppers, garlic, and corn. Cook until the onions are translucent and the veggies are slightly charred.

3. Add in the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Indian Summer Chili, by Diane

This is another recipe I've been making for years and just assumed I posted it a while back. It turns out that I've never posted it! This week was a weird, warm one and to celebrate this kind of "indian summer" (even though we saw the first day of winter) I instantly thought of this chili. I love it because it is unique in it's flavors (BBQ sauce and beer- PERFECT for football games and I make it each superbowl), and very easy and healthy. It is originally a recipe from Rachael Ray, and then I added avocado in it because I just love the combo!

Also a note- instead of grill seasoning I always use Tony Chachere's which is an amazing seasoning blend that has a great kick to it. My Texas family introduced me to this years ago, and it has been my go to chili seasoning (along with anything else!) ever since. You simply shake it on until your food tastes salty to your liking, and the spice coincides with the amount of salt! Brilliant!

Recipe from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/indian-summer-turkey-chili-recipe/index.html (mine always looks chunkier and less liquidy than the photo, as do my friends')


Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan (I never use this, the fat from the turkey is good enough)
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey (85 percent lean) or ground turkey breast (99 percent lean), 2 packages
4 tablespoons dark chili powder, 2 palm fulls
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend, any brand, 1 palm full
1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 palm full
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to extra-spicy
1 large onion, chopped
2 large peppers, any color combination, red, green, purple, yellow or orange, chopped
1/2 bottle beer (the alcohol cooks out), about 1 cup
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
2 cups sweet corn kernels

 

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, and the turkey meat. Season the meat with: chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Break up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon into small crumbles. Brown meat 5 minutes, then add onions and chopped bell peppers and cook 10 minutes more.

2. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the drippings and cooking off the alcohol. Add tomato sauce and barbecue sauce and bring to a bubble. Add corn and let chili simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste.

California Turkey Chili, by Cheryl

Served over quinoa pine nut pilaf

Holy spiciness Batman! If it weren't for the extreme spiciness of this dish I would give it five stars. The flavors really pop out and I could taste the cloves and cinnamon in this amazing chili. I got the recipe from Giada's cooking show, Giada at Home. Paired with her quinoa pine nut pilaf (next post) it is savory and delicious. But I would cut down the spice by 2/3 because we couldn't enjoy it the way we wanted to. Nonetheless, I will be making this again with that very slight, but important modification. Yum!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 large poblano chilis, stemmed, seeded, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1.5 pounds ground turkey
1 tbsp flour
4 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tbsp chili powder (I would reduce this to 1 tbsp next time)
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (I used regular)
kosher salt and ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves (I used 1/4)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Quinoa and Pine Nut Pilaf (next recipe)

Directions:

1) Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, poblanos, and onions. Saute until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

2) Add the turkey and saute until no longer pink, breaking up the turkey, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over and stir to blend.

3) Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring to blend.

4) Add the broth and the beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the flavors blend and the chili thickens to desired consistency (about 1 hour), stirring every 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper.

5) Eat plain or ladle the chili over the quinoa pine nut pilaf.

White Chicken Chili with a Cheddar Hushpuppy Crust, by Diane

I got this recipe from food network. The cheddar hushpuppy crust was what really got my attention, and it was SO good. The chili itself was not the best, it was very liquidy and not too flavorful. Next time, I will make the white chicken chili from a past entry on this blog (http://twofriendswithspice.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-chicken-chili-and-cheesy.html). I think the crust would also be good on top of a pot pie too. The recipe calls for a cast iron skillet, but I'm sure you could use a pot to cook the chili in and then transfer it to a baking dish. I served it with sour cream, which did seem to help the flavor of the chili.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (4 1/2-ounce) can mild green chiles, drained
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 (6-ounce) package cornbread mix
1 cup shredded cheddar
Sour cream, optional, for garnish
Salsa, optional, for garnish
Fresh cilantro sprigs, optional, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, cumin, and chili powder, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the lime juice, cannellini beans, chicken, broth, and green chiles, and stir until just combined.

4. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg.

6. Add the milk, butter, and cornbread mix, and blend well. Stir in the cheese.

7. Pour cornbread mixture over the chicken chili in the skillet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown.

White Chicken Chili and Cheesy Cornbread, by Diane

This dish is another Diane creation, but I'll do my best to give proper measurements!! I made this on a colder day earlier this week, and it was great to come in after being outside and eat while getting warm! I chose to make this chili creamy, because all of the recipes I was finding online were a clear broth and I wanted something heartier. Although it does have some half and half in it, I made it healthier by adding a lowfat/low sodium broth base and lowfat/nonfat cheeses, as well as lowfat sour cream. The rest of the ingredients are full of protein and really good for you! The chicken I used was ground, because I like the texture in chilis, but you can use rotisserie or cubed chicken breasts as well. I also made the cornbread from scratch, but you can always use a mix if you like. Enjoy!

Chili Ingredients:

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 bunch of green scallions, sliced (use white and green parts)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small can of mild green chiles

1 small bag of frozen yellow corn

3 tbsp. chili powder

2 tbsp. cumin

3 tbsp. salt

6 cups lowfat/low sodium chicken broth

1 cup lowfat sour cream

3/4 of a small container of half & half

2 lbs. ground chicken

6 cans of white beans, mixed varieties (I used navy, cannelini, and northern beans)

1 package of lowfat shredded monterey jack cheese

*

1. In a large soup pot, heat 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium-high heat. Add ingredients through salt, saute for 5 minutes. Add in broth, sour cream, and half and half. Turn down heat to medium, stirring occasionally while the chili bubbles.

2. While the chili is cooking, heat the remaining tbsp. of EVOO in a large saucepan. Add in ground chicken, cook until no longer pink. Drain the liquid from the chicken, stir in the remaining tbsp. of chili powder and tbsp. of salt. Transfer chicken to the chili, stir.

3. Add in four cans of beans (any variety) to the chili, stirring the pot.

4. Take the remaining two cans of beans, plus some liquid from the chili, and liquify in a blender until a thick paste is made. Add only enough liquid so the beans can spin in the blender- this mixture should be thick when finished. Add mixture to the chili, stirring in completely so the chili thickens. Turn the heat to low and let simmer uncovered for about an hour.

*

While the chili is cooking, make the cornbread (the cornbread recipe is from the back of the package of corn meal, called Indian Head, which I recommend, while the cheesy part came from me!):

*

1 cup ground yellow cornmeal

1 cup sifted white flour

1/4 cup white sugar (I add in 2 extra tbsp. of sugar because I like it a little sweeter)

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup shortening (I used butter), softened

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/2 package of shredded lowfat monterey jack/cheddar cheese

*

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Cut in shortening/butter.

4. Mix in egg and milk and combine with as little strokes as possible until mixture is completely blended. Stir in cheese.

5. Bake in a greased circular or square pan (Indian Head recommends 9x9x2, I used a circular pan because I like the wedges it creates) for 20-25 minutes.

*

During the last five minutes of the chili cooking, add the package of monterey jack cheese and stir until completely blended in. Serve the chili in a big bowl, garnish chili with extra monterey jack cheese and green chilis if some are leftover. You can eat the chili with the cheesy cornbread on the side, or I also love to put margarine on the cornbread and then, after it has melted, crumble it over the chili. :)

Turkey Chili, by Cheryl

I went for an easier recipe for my first post. I'm new at the blogging aspect of the internet and didn't want to do anything too extravagant too soon. I chose turkey chili because one, it's Monday and if I'm making chili I like to make it in the beginning of the week so I can take the leftovers to work everyday. And two, it's a filling, hearty, keep you warm, type of meal that one can always turn to in the colder weather.

You'll need:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 large onion, chopped
1 green (or red) pepper, chopped
minced garlic
2 cans of kidney beans, rinsed
3/4 - 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
heaping tablespoons of cumin
cayenne pepper
black pepper
salt
olive oil

Directions:

1) Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium/medium high. Saute the onion and pepper until softened (not browned). After a couple of minutes, place the minced garlic in.

2) Cook the turkey in a separate pan.

3) While the turkey is cooking, stir the canned tomatoes and chicken broth in a large pot over medium heat. Add the paste and rinsed beans - stir together. Add the cooked turkey, onions, garlic, cumin, black pepper, and salt - stir together. Add the cayenne pepper as you go depending on how spicy you want it.

4) Simmer on medium low-medium heat for a minimum of 20 minutes. Serve with rolls on the side and/or cheese on top!