1# lean ground turkey
⅓ lg. Vidalia onion - chopped
2T Ghee * (click for more info)
Slowly, melt the ghee and simmer until the onion scents your kitchen and becomes translucent. Add the next group of ingredients then simmer, covered on low for 45-60 minutes:
½ lg. green pepper - chopped
⅔ lg. sweet onion - chopped
1½c sliced - chopped celery
2 med. carrots - sliced thin
⅔ chopped GREEN parts of scallions
1-2T Better than Bouillon
~ vegetable or chicken
1T ground cumin powder
2t smoky "chile" powder
1 28oz. can petite diced tomatoes
~ and the tomato juice
1c pasta sauce
1c dry white Tepary Beans
1c dry black Turtle Beans
1c dry tiny Elbow Spaghetti
½ bunch of fresh cilantro - optional
Carefully pre-cook each type of beans and the pasta separately before adding to the chili pot. It takes time, but perfectly cooked beans, from scratch, are so good and flavorful.
For smaller beans, like these, I use fresh cold water to cover the beans well, and boil 5 minutes. Then turn them off and let them stand for an hour. Drain, rinse and repeat with fresh cold water. I repeat this 3x. The last time, I add 1t baking soda to the water, just as it boils, then continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes before the final hour rest. Then check for doneness. If too hard do one more boil-rest cycle until they're the way you like. Immediately, drain, rinse and chill them in ice water. Cook the pasta according to directions then also drain and chill it. This will make the beans and pasta both RESISTANT STARCHES! **
For smaller beans, like these, I use fresh cold water to cover the beans well, and boil 5 minutes. Then turn them off and let them stand for an hour. Drain, rinse and repeat with fresh cold water. I repeat this 3x. The last time, I add 1t baking soda to the water, just as it boils, then continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes before the final hour rest. Then check for doneness. If too hard do one more boil-rest cycle until they're the way you like. Immediately, drain, rinse and chill them in ice water. Cook the pasta according to directions then also drain and chill it. This will make the beans and pasta both RESISTANT STARCHES! **
Add a total of 3 cups of the cooked-chilled beans to the hot chili pot. Save the rest for another recipe or to serve on top of big tossed salads! Also add the cooked-chilled pasta - all or part of it. Bring the chili to a low simmer for about 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro just before serving. This is great cold weather food. I'm making this for a sweet family I love. I added things I might not normally - elbow macaroni and carrots - lots of color and texture, in hopes of appealing to their little boy. Also, the Mama in the family is sensitive to strong onions, so I used a Vidalia onion this time. Normally, for LOTS of strong onion flavor I'd use a big yellow onion.
The pic above on the left was taken right after everything but the cilantro was in the pot. After cooling a while, just about all the liquid absorbed! It's now a Chili Casserole!!
Be Bold--Be Creative! Don't be afraid to customize and change things up! Happy Cooking. . .Lin
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