I love making a big pot of chili on Sundays, not only is it one of the easiest one pot meals, but you can pack it full of veggies and lean proteins, it’s a great make ahead meal that freezes well and it’s the perfect meal for a cool winter day.
And who can resist a bowl of chilli on game day?!
My recipe includes two of my secret ingredients – coco powder and cinnamon! Both work beautifully with the hearty, meaty flavors of chili, they work especially well with beef, but they’re great in turkey chilli too, like the recipe below.
And what goes better with chili than some fresh Cornbread?! And who else to turn to for Cornbread than Paula Dean! I have to admit her recipe produces an awfully greasy cornbread, so I’ve modified it below.
Recipes adapted from epicurious.com and foodnetwork.com
Chili
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 19-ounce cans white kidney beans, rinsed, drained
Hot sauce to taste
Toppings
Grated cheddar cheese
Red onion
Cilantro
Sour cream
Directions
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. Add hot sauce to taste. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)
Ladle chili into bowls. Top with grated cheddar cheese, red onion, cilantro and sour cream. I like to bring the topping to the table and let everyone what they want! Enjoy!
Cornbread
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for baking dish
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and fold together until there are no dry spots (the batter will still be lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake until the top is golden brown and tester inserted into the middle of the corn bread comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
