Featured Recipe – Turkey Chili

Turkey ChiliNew Canaan mom of two young children, Eila Johnson, writes the full plate blog. The site, which was named to Forbes’ Top 100 Sites for Women and Forbes’ Top 10 Sites for Parenting and Homemaking, teaches busy parents how to make simple, nourishing recipes for their families and friends. Just in time for Super Bowl gatherings and crisp winter weekends, Eila is sharing her go-to Turkey Chili recipe with Walter Stewart’s customers. “I love having friends over for a casual meal… even better if the meal can be made ahead so we can all relax and enjoy each other’s company!” says Johnson. “Not only is this recipe a cinch to make, but it’s also healthy (shhh, don’t tell all the guys enjoying it during the football games!), so you don’t have to throw any New Year’s Resolutions out the window when you enjoy a bowl of this goodness.”
Eila’s Go-To Turkey Chili
(Makes 12 servings. Freezes perfectly, so make a big batch and tuck some away for busy school nights when you don’t have time to cook!)
Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • 2 lbs ground turkey breast
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 6-8 medium carrots, chopped
  • 3 organic bell peppers, chopped
  • 4 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 19-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 16-25 ounce jars your favorite salsa*
  • 1 24-ounce jar your favorite tomato sauce
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

optional: cinnamon, chili powder, cumin
In a large soup pot, sauté the turkey and onions in a little olive oil. After a few minutes, add the bell peppers and carrots, and continue sautéing until the turkey is cooked through. Add the 4 cans of rinsed and drained beans, cider vinegar, tomato sauce, salsa, and chopped tomatoes. For additional seasoning, I like to add a few shakes of cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, but depending upon the salsa you use, the chili may not even need the additional spices! Once you have added all of the ingredients to your pot, turn the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the flavors meld. That it. You’re done. You just mastered my go-to chili (that always gets rave reviews)!
*I love the local ingredients and special smaller-batch products I can find at Walter Stewart’s. For this batch of chili, I used Mrs. Renfro’s “Roasted Salsa”, which gave it a nice, smoky flavor, and the local brand, Cush’s Medium Homegrown Salsa.
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