A Recipe : Turkey Bean Chili

I meant to post this on Monday when I made it but I have barely checked my email in the last 50 hours.  My fur baby, the dog that is the love of my life and possibly the only child I will have, has been very very ill.  The good news is that she is on the mend.  Ish.  Mend-ish.  She is improving but v e r y slowly.  So I've been all-consumed with her and not blogging.

But I did enjoy a fabulous pot of chili this week, thanks to some great coupons at Price Chopper this week.  Now this is not a food a grew up eating so I am not sure if this is authentic or anything.  But it's darn good and really, that's all that matters!

Turkey Bean Chili

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons EVOO
* ground meat (I used ground turkey but any meat will do or omit if you want meatless)
* 1 teaspoon dried onion
* 1 pack chili or taco seasoning or 3-5 tablespoons homemade
* chili powder to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (optional)
* 2 cans kidney beans, in their liquid
* 2 large cans diced tomatoes
* 1 tiny can tomato paste

Directions:
* In a heavy bottom pot, heat up EVOO to high heat.  Add meat and all seasonings.  Brown until cooked through.
* Add beans, tomatoes and tomato paste.  Go ahead and add the liquid in the bean cans.  It's free, already right there and helps thicken the chili.  Mix well.
* Turn down to low/simmer and cook for @30 minutes to let all the flavors incorporate.  Add a can or two of water if too thick. 
* Serve with a sharp cheese, sour cream, chips, onions or anything else floating around your pantry.

The salad is one of those Price Chopper salad kits on sale for $2.99 (I think) this week.  I LOVE them- this one has cranberries, golden rasins, feta cheese and a supper yummy dressing.

Now there is a Price Chopper coupon for their store brand of Diced Tomatoes, but I discovered that Tuttorossa brand is actually on sale for a lower price this week.  That's without a coupon.  A lesson to always double check prices as the coupon is not always the very best deal every week.

The chili powder is a steal at just $0.50 after the PC coupon!  It's not a hot chili powder so it can be used in all sorts of yummy fall and winter recipes.

Of course the kidney beans are a rockin' deal this week with the PC coupon!  I plan to go buy a few more cans.  I use beans all the time as a great, filling source or protein when I don't feel like eating meat.  If you make this without meat, you might want to add a few extra cans of beans in there too.

This makes a huge pot of chili and it freezes great if you don't feel like eating it all this week.  On a cold, snowy winter day, it's sort of awesome to heat up a dish of your homemade chili for lunch or dinner.

I know the cinnamon and nutmeg seem a little out of left field but trust me on this one.  Seriously, trust me.  You can't taste them specifically but they really add so much to the recipe.  I actually add a few zips of freshly ground nutmeg to nearly everything savory that comes out of my kitchen.  They are optional but just do me a favor and add them even if you think I am crazy.  I'm not (or not today anyway) and you will love the extra subtle flavors.  In advance...you're welcome!

And a final note...
If you want to make this in your crockpot, do the first step of browning off your meat in a pan and then transfer it and everything else to your crockpot.  Cook low all day or high for a few hours.  Is anyone else a total crockpot-aholic too?  Love love that thing!