Tex-Mex Turkey and Bean Chili

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, cut in to 1/2 inch strips
3 lbs. ground turkey
4 onions, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, minced, ribs and seeds removed for less heat if desired
3 T. chili powder
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 t. ground cumin
2 cans (28 oz. each) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
2 T. unsulfured molasses
1 c. water
3 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Assorted toppings: cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro

Directions:
Heat a dutch oven or heavy 5 quart pot over medium. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Raise heat to high; add turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, and jalapenos; cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cocoa and cumin; cook stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Break up tomatoes with kitchen shears or your hands, and add them to the pot along with the puree. Add molasses, the water, and 4 t. salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook partially covered, 30 minutes.
Add beans; continue cooking (uncovered) until turkey is very tender and liquid has thickened, about 30 minutes more. Serve hot, with assorted toppings if desired.

Makes 8 servings. Total time 1 hour 30 minutes.

Verdict:
My sister got me a cast iron pot for my birthday and this was the first thing I made in it and I loved it. It made cooking the chili really easy. I also like that it doesn't take much effort, just a little bit of stirring here and there. The flavor was good and I enjoyed it. Blake is not a huge fan of chili so he just thought it was OK but he did say we could eat it again. It made so much that we froze half of it to eat another day when I don't feel like making dinner. One more thing. I don't know what the difference is between unsulfured molasses and regular molasses so I just used regular.

Black Bean Chorizo Chili With Cheddar Cornbread

For the chili:
2 t. olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
12 oz. ground chorizo sausage
2 t. garlic, minced
12 oz. beef broth
3 cans black beans, rinsed, drained (14.5oz each)
1 can diced tomatoes (28oz)
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. lime juice

For the garnish:
1 avocado, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream

For the cornbread:
1 c. flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. sharp cheddar, diced

For the chili:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
Cook bell pepper, onion and jalapeno in hot oil until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and garlic. Cooked until chorizo is cooked though, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in beef broth. Reduce heat to med and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add beans, tomatoes, and ground cumin. Simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
Serve with garnish and cornbread.

For the cornbread:Preheat oven to 425.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Combine eggs and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in melted butter and cheddar into mixture just until combined.
Pour batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan. Bake until cornbread is lightly browned and top springs back when touched, 20-25 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
Don't you just love chili on a cold day? Add a Mexican twist and you have some good grub. The cilantro and lime juice in the chili really made all the difference. I couldn't find uncooked chorizo so I used already cooked (it looked like sausage links). The cornbread was good too. We made some honey butter to have with it.