Tuesday, February 2, 2010

ENTREE: Bootleg Chili

Some chili purists believe that real chili shouldn't have beans. But purity's never been my strong point. And when it comes to beans, my personal policy is: The more, the merrier. So here's my recipe for thick, meaty chili with just a little bit of kick -- not enough kick to put hair on your chest or anything, but enough to make it interesting.
  • 1 lb. ground turkey (or beef, if you want to keep it real)
  • 1 can kidney beans (Goya oh boya!)
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (I like Del Monte with zesty jalapenos)
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 1 can (14 oz) stewed tomatoes (I go for low-sodium)
  • 1 can (10 oz) Campbell's tomato soup concentrate
  • 1 1/2 T. chili powder
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 1/2 T. cumin
  • 1 t. crushed red pepper
  • pinch of black pepper

Brown the ground turkey, then add everything to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for a couple of hours -- doesn't really matter, because the meat's already cooked. For me, 3 hours did the trick. I served it with Italian boule bread, but any carbolicious dipping tool will do!