Dreaming of chili…

I awoke early this morning thinking about chili. I heard the cold wind blowing outside and envisioned the snow still on the branches of the trees peeking through the window just beyond the bedroom. Laying in bed I mentally reviewed the ingredients I have…organic ground turkey, green chilis, frozen corn and tomatoes from the CSA, black beans. Then I try to remember if I have the basics ingredients of garlic, onion, scallions for on top? Yep, its all waiting to be combined into something warm and spicy.

On a frigid January day, nothing is more soul satisfying than a hearty hot soup or stew. I like to rev mine up with a distinct southwest flair, adding a hearty dose of cumin and chipotle power to give it that earthy, spicy kick. The other really fantastic thing about chili is that it works so well in a crockpot. This means that I could put it all together, run out for a workout, do some Saturday errands, and return to an apartment filled with savory smells and a ready lunch. The flavors benefits from a long, slow stew and they get even better the next day. Paired with a tender cheddar cornbread hot from the oven, with bits of corn and white cheddar throughout, its an ideal weekend afternoon meal.

A couple of my favorite recipes:
Cheddar cornbread:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheddar-Corn-Bread-107423

I do a chili similar to this, but I double the cumin, use Mexican Oregano instead of regular, and add a tablespoon of chipotle powder too:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Vegetarian-Black-Bean-Chili-230632

mmmmm…..