Spicy ‘n Sweet Turkey Pinto Bean Chili with Skillet Cornbread & a Give-Away
September 23, 2009 { }
It’s Fall Festival 2009 and I’m hosting today – Fall Traditions. I’m so looking forward to hearing about what you do to get ready for and celebrate fall. Link your fall tradition or leave a comment and you’ll be entered in a chance to win a set of 3 Wilton Baking Racks – perfect for cooling all those fabulous baked goods you’ll be making this holiday season. The contest will be open until 8pm on Sunday night so feel free to come back and link anytime. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 29th.
I asked my husband what our fall traditions are (I wasn’t really sure…we’ve only been married 11 months!) and he said, without hesitation, “Your turkey chili!” And, he’s right. I came up with this version in a desperate attempt to use up the rest of our holiday turkey and have made it countless times since. Like all soups, it’s even better the next day or even the day after that.
My favorite part about this chili is the spicy-sweetness, especially the chocolate and cinnamon undertones that are reminiscent of a Mexican mole. It also fills the house with an incredible aroma while it simmers on the stove top.
The cornbread recipe has been adapted from Smitten Kitchen – Deb’s blog has quickly become one of my favorites. I’m always wowed at her passion for cooking and the simplicity behind her incredible dishes. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and so simple to make. My favorite part is the crispy crust that comes from pouring the batter into a greased, piping hot cast-iron skillet. I hope you like this meal as much as we do.
Just a note – I wrote the recipe using ground turkey because I only have leftover turkey a few times each year. If you want to use your leftovers, simply add the turkey after adding the cocoa powder paste and simmer along with the rest of the soup. I topped our chili with grated Chihuahua, a Mexican cheese that’s similar to mozzarella but more buttery.
Slightly Indulgent Winners:
- Kara, from Home…With Purpose, won the random drawing for this week’s give-away, Martha Stewart’s book Cupcakes
- Sara, a.k.a. SnoWhite, and her Lemon Raspberry Cake from Joy in My Kitchen will be the featured blogger on Monday
Congratulations!
This post is linked to What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free? at The Gluten-Free Homemaker & Real Food Wednesday at Cheeseslave.
So, what are your fall traditions? Let’s talk about it.
Spicy ‘n Sweet Turkey Pinto Bean Chili
serves 6 – 82 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 pounds of ground turkey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons light ancho chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons dried whole Mexican oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 – 15 oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
3 cups chicken or turkey stock or 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 T. cocoa powder
1 teaspoon agave nectar
enough water to make a paste with the cocoa powderHeat oil in a 6 – 8 quart heavy bottom stock pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Sautee onion, garlic, and bell pepper until soft, about 8 – 10 minutes. Add turkey and salt. Sauté until cooked through, breaking apart large pieces. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne powder, and cinnamon. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes until flavors begin to permeate mixture. Add pinto beans, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil. Mix cocoa powder and agave with enough water to form a thick paste. Stir into chili until dissolved. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until desired consistency is reached.
Serve as is or with your favorite chili toppings.
Skillet Cornbread
serves 6 – 81 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon agave nectar
2 tablespoons unsalted butterPreheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with one tablespoon of unsalted butter, leaving any excess in the pan. Place it in the oven and let it preheat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until frothy and then whisk in the buttermilk and agave.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and whisk thoroughly. In the microwave, melt the remaining butter and whisk into your batter.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the fat around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Don’t worry if some of the butter looks burnt. It will be just fine. Pour the batter into the skillet – it will sizzle. That’s what you want.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown and the edge has pulled away from the side of the skillet. Remove from oven and serve in wedges.
Enjoy!
When you link:
- please use proper blog carnival etiquette and link back to this post
- let us know who you are and the name of your tradition/post- ie: Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Spicy n’ Sweet Turkey Chili & Skillet Cornbread)
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Tags: chili > Cornbread > dinner > mexican > soup
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About Amy Green
Nearly 6 years of living free of refined sugars and gluten has stopped my food cravings enabled me to maintain a 60+ pound weight loss. Today I live with enormous freedom. Join me as I create healthier food that's SS&GF and delicious. I hope to help you do the same. Read more about my story here.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 9:20 am
Oh my goodness – that looks soooo super yummy! I am intrigued to start trying some gluten-free recipes. I think the hubs especially will LOVE the cornbread!
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 9:39 am
What a great looking meal. Our fall tradition is to just get through soccer season in tact. After that it’s all easy.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 10:15 am
The chili looks amazing, as always. I bet my gang would love it!
Thanks for the giveaway and for hosting great Fall Traditions!
~Liz
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 11:05 am
I love chili too – we have a recipe for company chili that is soo good – but now I want to try your turkey.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 11:35 am
I love corn bread and chili–great recipes thanks~!
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
I love fall, one of my favorite times. I start by decorating the house with way more fall themes than my husband can stand…
I also start stocking up and baking a ton of pumpkin products… breads, muffins, waffles, oats. MMmmmmm….
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Amy Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
For some reason it seems like we all start craving breads and muffins – heavier carbs – in the fall. I don’t do fall decorations yet – maybe I will build up a stash as time goes on. I do think, though, that I’m ready for Christmas decorating. My husband will be in the “way more than he can stand” boat then.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
I’m going to have to try this chili recipe! I’ve been wanting to make something with Mexican mole and that looks heavenly!
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
My favorite fall tradition is to go to “Apple Butter Makin’ Days” in Mt. Vernon, Missouri, about 40 miles from our home. Several churches and civic organizations makes apple butter on site (our favorite does it in a real copper kettle!) and there are lots of crafters and food stands and pony rides. It is a lot like the county fair without all of the junky games and over-priced rides
Then we go home and eat lots of apple butter on homemade bread.
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Amy Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
That sounds like a great time – a very quality family event! My grandma made apple butter and I love it – I need to do that this fall.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
Chili and cornbread is a perfect combination. I like the idea of cinnamon and chocolate in the chili. I’ll definitely have to give it a try.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Your chili sounds really good! My Mom-in-Law always makes her cornbread in her cast iron skillet, and swears that is why I need one. Someday!
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Amy Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I love mine – I have 2. First, I bought the 12 inch so I could use it for lots of different things, including roasting a whole chicken. It’s a little too big for cornbread for just the two of us, so I bought a 10 inch. We still have leftovers, though, so I’ve been freezing them & making croutons when we need them.
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
You are helping me think about Fall again and I will blog about it before the week ends. This chili sounds fabulous and the cornbread sounds like what my husband has been describing to me. I like the 100% use of cornmeal and no other flours. Thank you Amy!
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
that recipe for chili sounds SOOOO good. We’re chili fans here.
Enjoyed today’s topic for Fall Festival.
Those baking racks look great!
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 6:20 pm
One of my favorite fall traditions is just enjoying the fall colors especially in the east where I grew up. I especially love upstate New York Fall colors! There is nothing like it! It makes me homesick just to think about it
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September 23rd, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
Wow! Both the chili and cornbread sound great. I need to get a cast-iron skillet at home. We use them at the fire station all the time, I don’t know why I haven’t picked one up yet. Thanks for sharing these great recipes.
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September 24th, 2009 @ 1:46 am
[...] * How do you Feather your Nest for Fall? * What does your family do for fun during Fall? * Share a special Fall tradition. [...]
September 24th, 2009 @ 8:42 am
OMG I love a good cornbread. Will definitely have to make this.
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September 24th, 2009 @ 10:27 am
Our tradition is football every Sunday; I always make chili or pizza for that. Still looking for a good gluten free crust though. There is nothing like a spicy bowl of chili and rooting for you team. It gets rid of the week’s aggravations, and exercises the lungs. Also the knees, if you are like me and jump up frequently to exhort your team to try harder! I really like the looks of that cornbread recipe. I think it’s a winner, and so far, so is my team.
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September 24th, 2009 @ 11:01 am
Ooh, I’ve been needing a baking rack! I’m not sure what my fall traditions are…maybe having baked apples and cinnamon? A lot of my food traditions will change this year since it’s my first gluten-free fall.
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September 24th, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
Yummy, Amy! I can smell it from here! My fall traditions generally have to do with pumpkins and winter squashes! I love cooking with them!
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September 24th, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
our fall tradition is hot mulled cider, which is a staple at our annual pumpkin carving party. people say it’s not officially fall ’till they have some.
http://www.harriswholehealth.com/recipes/hot-mulled-cider
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September 24th, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
[...] ~Fall Traditions by Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Wilton Baking Racks Giveaway [...]
September 25th, 2009 @ 12:58 am
This looks SO delicious!
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September 25th, 2009 @ 7:33 am
For us Fall is all about harvesting and preserving the fruits and veggies from our garden. I like to decorate with the pumpkins and corn stalks.
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September 25th, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
Our tradition is to go pumpkin picking. The chili looks wonderful.
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September 26th, 2009 @ 11:34 am
Looks enticing. Can you freeze the chili if leftover?
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Amy Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I’ve never frozen this chili but I’ve frozen other chili and it thaws out beautifully. You might have to thin it out when you reheat it, though.
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September 27th, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
Fall Traditions… Mine would have to be apple crisp. It may be a pretty common one, but having that with maybe a hint of ice cream is perfect for a cool, or even cold day =D.
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October 13th, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
Could this cornbread bu cooled, cubed, and used to make stuffing? I have the most amazing cornbread stuffing recipe, but have yet to find a good gf cornbread alternative. Could it handle being tossed in a liquid mixture and then rebaked? I may have to try this…
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Amy Reply:
October 13th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
No, I wouldn’t do that with this cornbread. I have a recipe I will post soon that is great for stuffing but this tends to fall apart. This is better for just plain eating. I also make croutons with the left overs for soup. Hope that helps.
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