Chili, 2 Ways

Is there anything more perfect than making a big batch of chili on a chilly Sunday?

Trick question.

Making two  batches of chili on a chilly Sunday.

I have two favorite chili recipes:

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili (top) and a slightly adapted version of the Pioneer Woman's Simple Perfect Chili (bottom)

Luke prefers the one with meat in it (he's such a man) so I often just make the vegetarian chili for myself and for several lunches thereafter.

They are both amazing and if you can't decide which one sounds better, make them both! It is the most delicious way you can multitask on a Sunday afternoon.

Turkey Chili

slightly adapted from the Pioneer Woman - my changes are in red.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• One 16-ounce can tomato sauce
• One can of water
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I add a little more)
• 1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour, found in the Mexican food section of many supermarkets)
• One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Shredded Cheddar, for serving
• Chopped onions, for serving
• Tortilla chips, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Place the ground turkey in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, one can of water, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.*
After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and /or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

*I double the amount of tomato sauce and add 1 can of water because I thought the mixture was too dry to simmer for a whole hour without scorching my pan and the meat. I've made this numerous times and think I nailed the right formula!