Turkey Chili

I have made this easy chili for years and always have requests for the recipe.  Sometimes I make it with beef, sometimes with ground turkey, sometimes with sirloin (simmered all day), just depends on what I have going on in my freezer.  I almost always add a little sausage but if you are trying to keep it super healthy, feel free to omit the sausage.

Ingredients:

1 lb of meat – I use 1/2 lb ground turkey or ground beef and 1/2 lb sausage

2/3 cup green bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup onion, chopped

4 cloves crushed garlic

6 cans of beans, drained (I use 2 kidney, 2 pinto, 1 black and 1 great northern but feel free to use whatever kind you prefer)

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

2 tsp beef base (you could substitute beef broth here but it will make your chili a bit thinner)

1 cup water (omit if you are using broth)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1-2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Chop all of your veggies (remember to freeze your leftovers).

Add veggies and garlic to a large pre-heated pot with ground turkey (or beef) and sausage.  If you are using ground turkey breast, add a little oil to the pan before you add your ingredients.  Cook meat thoroughly.  Drain off fat (as I have mentioned before I move meat over to one side of pan and put a couple of paper towels into the pot on the other side to catch the grease.  Tilt pan toward paper towel and press on paper towel with spatula.  Remove paper towel and discard being careful not to burn your fingers.)

Drain off beans (don’t worry about getting it all, just the majority). Add to pot with meat.  Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water and beef base.  Add spices, adding the salty ones last so you can taste as you go.  Also be sure to taste as you go with your chili powder.  Add as much as you’d like depending on how spicy you like your chili. Simmer over low heat for as little as 30 minutes or as long as you’d like (the longer it simmers, the better the flavor, you just might need to add a little more water as you cook depending on how much it cooks down).  You can also cook the meat and throw everything in a crock pot in the morning and let cook on low heat all day long.

Top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, onions, bacon, whatever your little heart desires.

Use leftovers in chili omelets or on top of baked potatoes.