Recipe | Slow Cook Turkey Chili

Years ago, my mother started this tradition on Halloween to facilitate a speedy yet warm and filling dinner. We were always anxious to get out the door, meet our friends, and of course, trick or treat. One of our favorite times of the year.

Chili is one of those go to dishes important to have on hand from the first kickoff of the football season clear those wintery soggy or snowy days. Here is one of my family's favorite slow cook recipe.

I love anything I can put together in a hurry. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and pepper and cook until slightly tender.


Slow Cook Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1-1/4 lb. ground turkey
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt (if using dry beans, if using canned beans reduce to 1/4 teaspoon or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1 cup dry red kidney beans, soaked and pre-cooked
(or 1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained)
1 cup black beans, soaked and pre-cooked
(or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained)
1 14-oz. can whole tomatoes, undrained
6 tablespoons. shredded Cheddar cheese

Sides and Toppings

Sour cream
Diced onion
Diced tomato
Diced avocado
Shredded cheddar Cheese
Warmed tortillas with honey and butter

Cook turkey, onions and garlic in skillet, seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper, until turkey crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.  Spoon mixture into the bottom of your slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients, cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.

Pairing:

A great side dish I love to serve with this chili is Iron Skillet Cornbread.

Recipe | Marinara Sauce

Our town's Saturday Farmer's Market is still bringing abundant crops due to our unseasonably dry and warm weather. Just last weekend I was still finding gigantic tomatoes coming out of Wapato, Washington. They are beautiful and juicy. In an effort to preserve summer's bounty, I'm making, blanching and freezing as much as possible. Here is one of our favorite recipes for Marinara Sauce. I make this recipe, usually doubling or tripling, and then freeze in quart-size freezer bags.


Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 green sweet pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 large celery stick, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 large (extra-large) tomatoes, diced and peeled
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh basil (3/4 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons fresh oregano (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In large skillet, heat oil and add onion, pepper, carrot, celery and garlic, sauteeing until translucent. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, sugar, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes if not longer. During the last 10-15 minutes, uncover and continue cooking until it has the consistency you desire.

Recipe | Favorite Pumpkin Bread

It's a Wednesday, halfway through the week. And it's a beautiful fall day, the colors are turning right before your eyes. And ... it's the first morning I've woken up this season to temperatures in the low thirties. Promises of things to come, I hope. To celebrate the coming season, I have pumpkin bread baking in the oven as I write. The aroma in my kitchen embodies everything I love about this season; warmth, richness and beauty. This bread is well balance, spiced as we like it, and only 1.7 grams of fat (calculated by a 12-serving loaf) and 187 calories per serving.


Here is one of my family's favorite recipes for Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread


Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon canola oil


Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Non-stick spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, spices, baking powder, salt and baking soda in medium bowl. Blend pumpkin, brown sugar, evaporated milk, egg, egg white and oil in large mixer bowl. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.