What's better than good food & some Dino? Come on! (Ground Turkey Chili Recipe, Steamed Artichokes)

Yes, I said "Dino". As in Dean Martin. Just filled our bellies and put on my iTunes and it just started playing Dean. Happy sigh.

Tonight, although we have a fridge full of leftovers, we opted to have chili.

Ten years of marriage and cooking and I've tried making a few different chilis. Still open to trying more...but this is the one I can make any day and it seems to come out tasty no matter what I do to it!

First I start with some ground turkey but this could just as easily be made vegetarian.

1 lb ground turkey, brown in oil with onion and garlic
2 cans small red beans
1 can Light red kidney beans (found out I like these WAY better than dark red kidneys)
1 can chili beans (these are just beans already seasoned)
1 small can of tomato paste or 1/2 large can
Some chili powder, oregano, and chipotle powder (if you like, otherwise substitute other hot spice)
1 green bell pepper chopped
After browning the meat, add the beans and tomato paste and spices.
Here's where I usually remember "oh yeah, I bought a green pepper for this!" and start chopping it. So I add the pepper when I'm done chopping. :)
Let it all simmer for about 20 minutes.

By the way, rinse the beans (except the chili beans) and it cuts the sodium way down. And the chili beans do have more sodium than I usually would use but I drain half the liquid and then don't need to add ANY salt to the recipe. So there you go. I'd say it ends up about 650mg per serving. Better than a restaurant, I guarantee it!

I usually serve my chili over cornbread. Trader Joe's (can you tell it's a favorite place of mine yet?) has a really good, easy mix. But if you're adventurous and want to see all the stuff (ie. butter) that goes into REAL cornbread, go for it. However, of course there was a snag tonight. We were out of eggs!!! Just needed one but since my neighbors up and left for Arizona(you know who you are) and I don't know my new neighbors yet, couldn't just go borrow one. Which may have actually worked out to be a good thing. We had TJs beer bread mix which didn't require eggs...just beer. That, obviously, we had plenty of ;) So, beer bread mix with Stockyard Oatmeal Stout.

A slice of beer bread smothered with chili and topped with shredded cheddar. Mmmm. We're good.

Little tip: Legend has it that green bell peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating raw and 4 bumps are firmer and better for cooking. Hubby test taste agrees. Try it.

Oh and had to cook up some artichokes I got today. They were not quite babies, not quite full size, so adolescent artichokes?? Anyway just trimmed tops, bang em top side down to get them opened up a little, trim stem but save it to cook in the pot (it's as good as eating the heart) and then just steam them with garlic and a little oil for about 30 minutes (longer if you have big ones). Too full to eat a whole one now but tomorrow...a reason to get up in the morning!


It'll have to be leftovers tomorrow for lack of fridge space. But we are a home of leftover fans so no complaining here. Friday...pizza party??