Yesterday I made Raspberry Summer Salad with Microgreens. It was amazing. Then a storm hit NH. Today calls for Chili. I find it interesting how our brains adjust what foods go with each season. Here are some of my favorite chili recipes. Let me know which one you picked.
Apple Chili
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 Tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cored and diced, unpeeled mildly tart, crisp apple
- 1 (15-ounce) can undrained no-salt-added chili beans in chili sauce
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can undrained no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 2/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1/2 teaspoon teaspoon packed brown sugar
Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion, jalapeño and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is tender.
Add ground turkey to onion mixture; cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, until turkey is no longer pink, breaking turkey in to 3/4-inch crumbles. Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook 30 seconds more. If necessary, drain and discard juices.
Stir in diced apple, black beans, chili beans with sauce, tomatoes, apple cider and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Gently simmer over low to medium-low heat, covered, about 15 minutes or until desired consistency. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with sour cream. If desired, garnish with apple, lime wedges and cilantro. Makes about 6 cups.
Pumpkin chili
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cup onion, (about 1 large) chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 6 clove garlic , minced
- 1 1/2 pound ground beef, or bison
- 1 28 - ounce can crushed tomato
- 1 6.5 -ounce can tomato paste
- 1 14 -ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup chicken broth, or water
- 2 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ Tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ - ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and saute the onions and peppers, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until onions start to soften. Then add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the ground beef. Use a spatula or spoon to break it up as it cooks. Cook until meat is nearly cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer meat mixture to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Set heat to LOW and cook for 6-7 hours. 8. Serve with desired toppings such as: Lime wedges, diced avocado, fresh cilantro and/or hot sauce.
Pineapple Chili
- 20 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage (bulk, or links with casings removed)
- 1 onion, chopped to equal about 2 cups
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits in juice (divided)
- 2 (28-ounce) cans seasoned diced tomatoes (such as Dei Fratelli)
- 1 15 ounce can black bean, rinsed and drained
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 clove garlic, minced
In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and onions, stirring to crumble sausage. Once sausage is cooked through, drain off any fat and transfer the sausage and onions to your slow cooker.
Drain the pineapple, reserving both the juice and the fruit separately. Add the juice to the slow cooker. Cover and store the fruit in the refrigerator (it will be added toward the end of cooking).
Add tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and garlic to the slow cooker.
Stir everything to combine.
Cook on low (6-8 hours), adding reserved pineapple during last hour or two of cooking, or on high (4-5 hours), adding pineapple during last 1/2 hour - hour of cooking.
Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.
Chili with Bacon – how can you go wrong?
- 6 slices bacon, of uncooked cut into small pieces
- 2 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 14.5 - ounce can diced tomato
- 1 15 - ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 pound ground beef
- 4 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 3/4 cup beef broth
First, cook bacon in a large skillet on medium-high. You want it to be brown and slightly crispy, but not burnt to a crisp. Remove to paper towel.
Toss chopped vegetables with 1 Tablespoon of bacon fat and cook in separate, large skillet on medium-high.
While all of that is going on, throw another Tablespoon of bacon fat back into the skillet you cooked the bacon in, and start browning your meat along with your garlic.
Remove meat from skillet with a slotted spoon and mix with bacon pieces in your crockpot, then add cooked vegetables, along with the canned tomatoes and sauce. Then add your spices.
Cook on low for 8-12 hours to let the flavors develop.
