Chili for a Chilly Day

Autumn has arrived in Texas, and man did it come out of left field! On Sunday it was in the low 80's, and on Monday it dropped to the high 40's. And although it was drastic and quick, I've been embracing the crisp temperatures and non-humid air.

When I lived up North I always longed for September because I knew by the end of the month I would be wearing jeans and sweaters, drinking pumpkin spice lattes and feeling the brisk sting of the cool wind on my cheeks during an afternoon walk. In the South, however, sometimes you have to wait all the way to November before you can put on leggings and tunics and feel justified in buying a maple pecan latte. So, needless to say, I'm pretty pumped I only had to get halfway through October before I could warrant pulling out all of my autumnal decorations and my big chili pot.

Nothing tastes quite as good as a hearty bowl of chili on a cool, fall day. And whipping up a pot for a tailgate, or right before your weekend viewing of your favorite college or pro game, makes it even better.

So, if you're looking for a new twist to your old chili, let me go ahead and share my go-to, crowd-pleasing, would-definitely-win-a-blue-ribbon-if-I-entered-it-in-a-chili-cookoff recipe!

Erica's Amazing Turkey-Chorizo Chili

Ingredients:

1lb ground turkey, 85% fat (the fattier the better)
1lb ground chorizo
1 small onion, yellow or white, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 can black beans
2 diced tomatoes -or- 1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 small can of green chiles, diced
1 packet of Tex-Mex or Texas Blend chili seasoning
2 tbsp. EVOO

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, warm EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and chorizo, frequently breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon or my secret weapon - the potato masher!

While the meat is browning, chop up and dice the veggies. I was lucky enough to have my sous chef in the kitchen with me on the evening I was cooking the chili, who was happy to do the task for me!

Once the meat is browned, remove from the pan and drain the fat. Add a little more EVOO to the pot and then add the vegetables. Saute until just softened and translucent. Then return the meat to the pot and add the tomatoes, green chiles, black beans and seasoning packet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. 

Let cook over low heat for at least half an hour - which is the perfect amount of time to make some cornbread to serve alongside. I used Krusteaz Fire Roasted Cornbread and made the muffins in a madeline pan because I never really have any other use for the pan, and they're the perfect size!

When ready, serve big portions of chili in your favorite bowls, accompanied by the cornbread, and topped with anything that suits your fancy - sour cream, grated cheese, jalapeños, and/or diced onion.

Enjoy! And if you ever enter this in a chili cookoff, make sure to let me know if it wins!