Warm Chili

I love chili, in fact it's in my top ten favorite foods. It always makes me happy, I never think "oh no, not chili again...."! I've been to a couple chili cook-offs and I LOVE tasting all the chili's. It gives me so many ideas, of course I never follow through with them... but I do love them! I wish my husband shared my love of chili so we could go to more cook-offs and eat more chili!

Which brings us to this recipe. My husband. He just doesn't love my chili. I've been making my chili for YEARS! I first shared it on the blog 6 years ago! Check it out here. Well, husband has become less of a fan of spicy than he ever was, and honestly I think some of the foods have become a little spicier? Like the chipotles in adobo, anyone else think they have gotten hotter over the years? Or maybe it's just my husband rubbing off on my tastebuds and I am not as tough as I used to be. 

I needed to find a chili we could agree on. I found it! Just walking through the grocery store yesterday, I saw a can of enchilada sauce and was inspired. A couple tweaks to my old recipe, and this recipe was born. And approved.

Enough spices to warm and give amazing flavor, but nothing to set you on fire. We have finally found the compromise with this "Warm Chili". Not bland, not hot, but warm!

As a side note, I am proud to say the canned tomatoes and tomato paste used in this recipe were canned by me, from my garden! So proud!

Warm Chili

1 lb. lean ground meat (turkey, venison, or beef would all work well)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons cumin

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 can medium red enchilada sauce
2 (15 oz) cans chili beans ( I used 1 can mild, and 1 can medium)

1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes

1 - 2 cups water

Optional

Crushed tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

Sour Cream

Green onion

In large pot over medium-high heat, cook ground meat until brown.  Drain.  Stir in onion and peppers; cook until vegetables are tender.  Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.  Stir in tomato paste, beans, and enchilada sauce. 

In blender, puree tomatoes with one cup water. 

Simmer about 1 hour before serving. Add additional water if needed.

Garnish as desired!

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Rustic Turkey and Barley Soup

It's finally here! No, I am not talking about the snow, I am talking about soup season! I know we can eat it year round, and we do, but there is just something special about that favorite soup or chili, with some crusty bread or sandwich, on a cold, or snowy day.

I can't begin to tell you how much of this soup we have eaten in the last couple weeks. We are so in love with it. It's strange for Truckin' Man to be lovin' it so much, but I am not going to complain. It's packed with flavor, and so many good for you ingredients. 

You can change this up in so many ways based on what's in your pantry, too.
You can easily change this up to vegetarian, just skip the turkey and use a veggie stock.
No barley? Add rice.
Really love carrots? Add more.
Prefer kale? Add that instead of the spinach. 

Rustic Turkey and Barley Soup

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
40 oz chicken stock
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/3 cup barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup red split lentils
1 cup leftover turkey, chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped


Heat oil in dutch oven, or large pot, over medium high heat.  Add onions, and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and oregano, cook for 2-3 minutes.  To the pot, add chicken stock, carrots, barley, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add lentils and turkey, cooking for another 15 minutes, or until barley and lentils are tender.  Stir in spinach.  Taste and add more salt as necessary.

Adapted from: The Iowa Housewife


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