Quick and Easy 3 Bean Chili

Are you craving a classic soul-warming chili or a twist on a classic stew?  Then continue to check out CW's Cafe Today for "Fall Nights Soup, Chili, and Stew recipes.  A quick and easy 3 Bean Chili with lean ground turkey is up for grabs today.  Enjoy!

Servings: 8 Prep Time: 15 Cook Time: 15

 

 

Ingredients - Star of the Show : 2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey

                  From the Pantry                                                       From the Garden Pantry 

1 (15) oz can Cannellini Beans  (drained)	1/2 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1 (15) oz can Dark Kidney Beans	1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced)
1 (15) oz can Pink Beans  (drained)	1/2 Orange Bell Pepper (diced)
1 (14) oz can Dice Tomatoes (No Salt)	1/2 White onion (diced)
1 cup Marinara Sauce	5 Garlic cloves (diced)
1/2 Bloody Mary Spicy Mix	3 Green Chili Peppers (sliced thin
Spices from the Pantry	1/2 cup Fresh chopped Parsley
1/4 cup Chili seasoning
2 tbsp Ground Cumin
2 tbsp South-west seasoning (see note)
2 tbsp Corn Masa Flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Note :  You can make your own south-west seasoning with any spices you may have in your pantry.

Example of some blends: (dried) Mexico chilies, Ancho chilies, paprika, coriander, garlic, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, black pepper and oregano.  Put in a spice grinder and blend. 

Step 1

In a large pan or Dutch oven over medium - high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown ground turkey, then add onions, garlic and blend well.  Then add diced tomatoes, marinara sauce and bloody mary mix, bring to a simmer                (about 2 - 3 minutes).

Step 2

Now add Cannellini , kidney and pink beans.  Stir to combine, then add all your spices including the masa flour (used for thickening).  Salt and pepper to taste, then add bell peppers and chili peppers. Stir and simmer for about 5 - 8 minutes .  Then add chopped parsley cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Step 3

To serve, spoon chili into bowls and top with sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and garnish with fresh parsley.  You can also serve corn bread or your favorite tortilla chips.

Blue Cheese and Pimiento Potato Salad

Bottled Blue Cheese dressing sounds like a quick way to give flavor to this salad, but so many bottled dressing are full of preservatives and sodium.  I love cooking with as many fresh ingredients as possible.  So I develop my combination of flavor for this blue cheese potato salad.

 Ingredients

• 3 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes (about 5)
• ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
• ½ cup Crema Mexicana, preferably or  you use sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 4 ounces Crumbled blue cheese
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
• ½ cup medium white onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• ¼ cup diced pimientos
• ¼ cup diced jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation 

1. Fill a large pot with about cup of water and add salt.  Then place a steamer basket inside of pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer.  Add potatoes to steamer basket; cover and let steam for about 25 minutes or until tender.  Do not let potatoes over cook.

2. Remove potatoes and allow cooling, then peeling, slicing potatoes into ¼” thick slices.

3. While potatoes are cooling, make the dressing.  In a large bowl, combine rice vinegar, Crema, mayonnaise and hot mustard, blend well.  Then add blue cheese and eggs; mix well.

4. Once potatoes have cooled, to the dressing add onions, celery seeds, pimientos, and jalapeno peppers, then combine potatoes to the dressing a little at a time making sure not to break potatoes or mash them.

5. Add chopped parsley; hold a little back for garnish.  Salt and pepper to taste; it should not require too much salt due to the blue cheese.  Then place potato salad in refrigerator for about an hour or until you are ready to serve.  Enjoy!!