Chili

Hi!  I know that we already have a few chili recipes but I needed a place to store this recipe which I am unofficially dubbing the best chili.  It is the combination of two of my favorite recipes.  I am of the belief that you can't really ruin chili, so modify as you see fit.  Want it to be juicier?  Add more tomatoes and broth/beer.  Like it chunkier?  Add more veggies/meat and cut back on the liquids.  You gals get my drift and know how to cook... no lesson needed from me. 

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic , chopped
• 2 1/2 pounds extra lean ground meat (turkey or beef) – be sure it is lean
• 2 large peppers, any color combination, red, green, purple, yellow or orange, chopped
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to extra-spicy
• 1 1/2 cups pinto beans (cooked or canned)
• 1 1/2 cups black beans (cooked or canned)
• 3 cups diced tomatoes or 1 (28 ounce) can roasted diced tomatoes , undrained
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth or  1/2 bottle beer (the alcohol cooks out)
• 1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
• 2 cups corn kernels, optional

Directions

1. Heat large stockpot over medium-high heat.
2. Add olive oil, then onion.  Cook until onion is fragrant.
3. Add garlic and ground meat.  Cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown.
4. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, oregano, ground mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.
5. Add the chicken broth or beer, tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, barbeque sauce, and corn.
6. Simmer for at least 10 minutes and up to one hour. 

Asian-inspired Vermicelli

I got this recipe from my Godmother, who makes this dish often for her family. I had it the first time and fell in love with it. It's a nice meal because the turkey is lean and there are so many flavors in the sauce. This is the basic recipe (with my tweakings), but I've also made it and added in vegetables which is tasty too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 tsp ground ginger

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 c white wine

1/3 c Hoisin sauce

1/4 c soy sauce, reduced sodium if possible

1/2 c chicken broth

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 c green onions, chopped

1 lb vermicelli, cooked and drained

Process

Medium hot pan (I used a dutch oven, but you could also use a wok or a large saute pan). Add olive oil, onions, garlic and ginger. Saute until translucent. Add meat and cook thoroughly. At this point I remove the excess grease and dispose of it. In a bowl, mix all liquid ingredients (not cornstarch) and add into pan/d.oven. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes. Uncover and remove some of the sauce to a small bowl and mix it with the cornstarch. Pour back into meat mixture and stir. When sauce has thickened to your liking, it is done. Add chopped green onions and vermicelli into mixture, stir until combined and serve.

This recipe serves between 2-4, depending on how hungry you are. ;-) Generally you'll have enough for 4 servings, and maybe even leftovers!