Culinary Question of the Month

With December all upon us, it's natural to think to the holiday season.  For me, that often means baking... particularly cookies.  So, I ask you: What cookie, if any, do you absolutely want to make this year and why?

Simple Chili

Background
The great state of California seems to have two seasons: dry and wet.  Wet tends to roll around this time of year and, without fail, always makes me want to curl up at night with something warm to eat. One of my go-to dishes, incidentally also very good on oh-so-frigid Wisconsin nights, is chili.  You can go out and find a plethora of variants on this dish, but I find that having a simple recipe down is best.  Once you have that, elaborate as you wish.  What follows is my basic chili recipe for lazy, chilly nights.


Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can kidney beans
1 C. frozen corn
1 green pepper, diced
1 pkg store-bought chili seasoning
-OR-
Homemade seasoning (mine is Penzey's Arizona Dreamin', salt, smoked paprika, cumin and a thickener like corn starch or flour)


Directions
In a large sauce pan, brown the turkey.  The particular pans I use do not require lubrication to do this, but you know your cookware.  If you usually need oil to prevent sticking, please apply.  If I am going to allow my chili to cook for several hours (i.e. by some miracle, I harnessed forethought that day), I brown lightly.  If it's an hour before dinner and I'm summoning the energy to even get off my butt, I brown more thoroughly.  No one wants undercooked meat.

Hello Turkey

If your turkey creates grease, you can drain it and return the meat to the same pot (mine typically produces little enough that I skip this step).  Pour in the tomatoes, kidney beans (juice and all), and corn.

Wait, green peppers?

Mumble an expletive to yourself as you run to the fridge for your forgotten green pepper.  Dice and add to pot.  Note: some people like a nice, big bite of pepper, others prefer it to add color, but never be the main player in any given spoonful of chili.  Dice according to your preference.  Add the seasoning and let the whole pot simmer over medium-low heat until you hear your husband pedal up the driveway and request you open the garage.

Mmmm...incorporatey

Notes
As I said, this is a basic recipe and it can easily be changed, thusly:

1. One change we make quite often is omitting the meat.  In this case, I tend to add a second kind of bean or sometimes a grain, like quinoa or couscous.   More veggies is another popular option around here.  Diced or pearl onions, zucchini, and even spinach have been big players in the past.

2. Don't feel married to the kidney bean.  I know, I know, leaving out the kidney is probably somehow blasphemous to the real world of chili (though I seem to remember reading somewhere that beans weren't in "real chili"), but I just don't see it.  We often use black beans instead of, or in addition to kidneys.  And if I'm doing a chicken chili, I will use cannellini (great northern or navy) beans.

3. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: always play with spice.  You know what you like - or what your guests like.  Don't feel constrained by what a store will sell you.  Sometimes I'm in a more cuminy mood, so I toss a bunch of that in.  If I'm cooking primarily for my husband, I'll kick up the heat factor with some red pepper, or his cherished 'rooster sauce'.  And please, if you stumble upon an unbelievable combination, write it down.  You'll think you'll remember.  You won't.