20-Ingredient Chili

Blech. I messed this one up, big time. I added way too much spice (I should have listened to the recipe and gone light on the spices the first time I made it), so it ended up being so spicy that I not only broke out in a sweat when I started eating it, but it upset my stomach and gave me a headache. Needless to say, I couldn't finish the bowl that I had served myself, and I didn't even bother serving it to the kids. Jonathan has yet to try it, but at least he'll have a fair warning before subjecting himself to it. Dinner fail.

I'm sharing this recipe anyway in case any of you know someone who really likes spicy food. Or if you know a woman who needs to go into labor. Or if you just want to go lighter on the spices and want to try a new chili recipe. The only things I did really differently were to leave out the chicken and use black beans instead of kidney beans.

20-Ingredient Chili
A variation on this recipe from crockpot365.blogspot.com



1 onion, diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can corn (drained and rinsed)
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes (whole can)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari Wheat Free are gluten free)
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (this has heat, if you are sensitive, start with 1 teaspoon (3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon))
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 cups chicken broth

Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the diced onion, canned beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, and grated sweet potato to the pot. Now add the mustard, honey, and dried spices. Carefully stir well to distribute spices the best you can. Pour in the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Although you could cook this on high in 4 hours, the flavors will meld best when cooked low and slow. Stir very well and serve in a large bowl with your favorite chili toppings, such as shredded cheese and sour cream.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Delicious. It made the house smell wonderful and then tasted great. It also goes particularly well with these cornbread muffins. I used cooked pork instead of cooked turkey, but I'm excited to try this again with some leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
A variation on this recipe from Taste of Home



1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey or pork
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, sauté the onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Chicken Enchilada Chili with Corn Spoon Bread

We had another snowstorm yesterday, so this felt like a very appropriate dinner option. It was pretty good. Not my favorite chili, but definitely not bad. The spoon bread also wasn't my favorite, but Jonathan really liked it. Of course, it had two of his favorite things -- corn and milk -- so it was hard to go wrong there.

Chicken Enchilada Chili
Courtesy of Stephanie O'Dea



1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce
2 (14.5-ounce) cans tomatoes with seasoning
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or kidney beans with juice (or 1 cup dry pinto beans, soaked overnight)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, diced, or 1 tablespoon dried minced onion flakes
1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds chicken (thighs, legs, breasts - your choice)
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving (optional)

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the enchilada sauce and tomatoes into the bottom of the removable stoneware insert. Add the beans, celery, onion, and spices, and stir to combine. Place the chicken on top.

Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the flavors have combined. If you are using dry beans, you may need to cook longer to fully soften the beans. If your chicken has bones, fish the bones out before serving. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

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Corn Spoon Bread
Courtesy of Real Simple



3 cups whole milk
2 cups fresh corn kernels or one 10-ounce package frozen corn, thawed
3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring 2 cups of the milk and the corn to a boil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining milk and the cornmeal. Whisking constantly, slowly add the mixture to the boiling milk. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs.

Transfer to a buttered casserole or cast-iron skillet. Bake until golden and set, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

White Bean Chili

This definitely needed the chili powder that Stephanie O'Dea mentions in the paragraph before the recipe. It also needs salt. I also used Italian seasoning because I couldn't find the dried fennel that the original recipe called for. It's a solid and easy recipe that makes the house smell good and is very enjoyable on a cold day/night.

White Bean Chili
A variation on this recipe by Stephanie O'Dea

1 pound dry Great Northern white beans
1 pound smoked Italian sausage, sliced (pork, turkey, chicken, whatever your preference)
2 celery stalks, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
Salt, to taste

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Sort through the beans, and soak overnight. If you don't have time to soak them overnight, boil rapidly on the stovetop for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover. Let the beans sit in hot water for 1 hour before draining and using in the slow cooker.

Put the beans into the cooker, and add the sausage and celery. Add the garlic, and spices. Pour in the tomatoes and water, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, high for 4 to 5 hours, or until the beans have reached the desired tenderness. Add salt, to taste.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili

This was a wonderful thing to have on a chilly night. The garnish really does give it a whole other dimension. And it went very well with the Honey Cornbread Muffins I'd made before.

My only modifications were that I used olive oil rather than cooking spray, and I used 1 tablespoon of chili powder rather than the 1 1/2 that's called for in the original recipe. I don't think the additional 1/2 tablespoon would have made it too spicy, so I may have been unnecessarily cautious.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili
Courtesy of Cooking Light



2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Cooking spray
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups mild salsa
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Combine 1 1/2 cups beans, 2/3 cup water, and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine bean puree and remaining beans in a bowl.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove turkey from pan.

Add onion, bell peppers, and bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until bacon and onion are lightly browned. Return turkey to pan. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper to pan; stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, salsa, tomato paste, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice in a small bowl. Serve chili with sour cream mixture.

Turkey Corn Chili

This is one of those post-Thanksgiving recipes where you're supposed to use leftover turkey and crudite vegetables. I've actually never made it as a post-Thanksgiving recipe, but I have made it before and really like it. It's simple and tasty. And since it's almost Easter, and some people make turkeys for Easter, I thought it may be handy to post this recipe now.

But if you aren't going to be enjoying an entire turkey any time soon... Since it does call for cooked turkey, I've used turkey cutlets that I've sautéed, diced, and then added to the recipe. It never fails to make for some tough and dry turkey. So this time, I got what was called a "turkey London broil" from the grocery store (it was just a whole boneless turkey breast), and I roasted it. BIG difference. The meat was moist and more flavorful (well, as flavorful as unbrined turkey gets). Here's what I did with the turkey first. You won't regret taking this extra step.

Simple Roasted Turkey Breast
1 1/2 pounds boneless turkey breast (or "London broil", if your grocery store carries them)
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place turkey in baking dish, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until internal temperature is 170ºF. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Turkey Corn Chili
A variation on this recipe by Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, red or green, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 1/2 pounds cooked turkey meat, diced
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (a palm full) chili powder
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (a palm full) ground cumin
1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons (several drops) cayenne pepper sauce
Coarse salt
2 cups frozen corn kernels or leftover prepared corn
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups prepared chicken stock or broth
2 scallions, white and greens, chopped

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add bay leaf and cook vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, reducing heat if veggies start to stick. Stir in diced turkey meat and season with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne sauce. Season with a little salt, to taste. Add corn, tomatoes, and broth. Combine your chili well, adjust seasonings, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Garnish chili with chopped scallions.