Turkey Chili

If anyone knows Mark and I, they know our Turkey Chili. Very few of our friends and co-workers have not tasted this cooperative creation. Mark and started making this chile about 7 years ago. Back in the "Digorno days" as I like to call them. He and I have experimented for years perfecting the ingredients. Afew years ago Mark had the brilliant idea of adding an Ancho pepper! The pepper really adds depth to the dish. They are readily available in most grocery stores. (At least in Texas) If you are unable to get your hands on one, as Hannah was unable to do recently, you can purchase Ancho Chilie powder and add a few teaspoons of that.

This dish cooks perfect for lots and lots of people. Just keep doubling the ingredients and you can make this for over 25 people! I want to warn you, everyone loves this dish. Whether you are making it for 4 or 45, it is a rare day that someone is not cleaning the bottom of the pot with a good piece of bread.

The best way to serve it is with Feta cheese. We stopped serving that when we started making it for Mark's lunch bunch. Feta is much more expensive then say, colby jack. But, if you are making it for yourself or a nice dinner party, I suggest the Feta cheese. It adds and element of sophistication that chili usually lacks.

Enjoy! Please let me know how you like this dish and how you experimented with the recipe in progress.

Turkey Chili

1 Large Red Onion minced
4 Cloves of Garlic minced very fine
1 Chipotle peppers (optional) minced
1/2 Pounds of Ground Turkey
3 Cans of Black Beans
3 Cans of Diced Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of Chili powder
2 Tablespoons of Garlic powder
2 Tablespoons of Mexican Oregano
1 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 Ancho pepper. (The very large dried peppers)
3-4 Tablespoons of Olive oil. (More as needed)

In a very large pot heat oil. Add onions and cook for 3-4 min on med. high heat. Add garlic and chipoltle pepper cook for another 3-4 min until onions start looking clear.

Add turkey, 1 tablespoons of chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of oregano. Cook meat until done, 12-15 min.

While meat is cooking open cans. Add all cans, the rest of the spices, the ancho and the cilantro.
With the cilantro you have 2 options:
1: Chop cilantro and throw it all in this will give a more cilantro taste. This is how I prefer to do it.
2: Wrap the entire bunch with string and pull it all out just before serving.

Heat the Chile through on med-low. When heated, just before serving, pull out ancho chilies, cut up and return to soup.

Serve with green onions, feta cheese, good french bread or corn chips!