Turkey Chili Success+Recipe

I'm going to assume that I'm not the only momma who has those days where she starts thinking about what to make for dinner before lunchtime because she is lacking in culinary creativity on said day, but sadly no inspiration comes until the dinner hour is upon her. Yeah, that was me yesterday. I could not for the life of me figure out what to make. I texted Derek and asked him if he had any ideas, and then for some bizarre reason I started to crave chili. I had to have chili.

So I ventured out at five in the pm, to procure a few items to make my chili. I'm so glad I indulged my craving because dudes- that chili was off the hook. Check it.

Being the foodie that I am, I of course grammed it because I discovered that adding a bit of lime makes chili taste freaking awesome. I had some requests on facebook for the recipe, so here ya go!

Please be advised: Unless I'm following a recipe, I rarely measure anything. These measurements are total guestimations but I think it'll get you started in the right direction.

Turkey Chili
1.5lb.s Ground Turkey
Half an Onion, diced
2 tbspn of Olive Oil
2 cans of Dark Red Kidney Beans
2 cans of Stewed Tomato (I used original)
1 can of Tomato Sauce
1 can of Tomato Paste
1 tbsp of Cumin
Coriander
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder, or 5 cloves of fresh garlic
Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning
Cheese of your choice (I only had Mozzarella, but I think Monterey Jack or Cheddar would be divine)
Cilantro, chopped
Fresh Lime wedges

1. Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot with the olive oil, until the onions have softened.

2. Add the ground turkey. Season with the salt, pepper, coriander, and a little garlic powder (there can never be too much garlic!), and cook until the turkey has browned a little.

3. While the turkey is cooking, drain and rinse the kidney beans. When the turkey is cooked, add the beans, both cans of stewed tomatoes, and the tomato sauce. Mix it up. Add the tomato paste.

4. This is where I just tasted and guessed until my taste buds did a happy dance: season with coriander, salt, pepper, garlic, taco seasoning, and cumin. The cumin helps decrease your chances of being, ahem, "musical" due to the beans so don't be stingy. If the chili seems a little on the acidic side add a couple pinches of sugar.

5. Let it all simmer for about 5-10 minutes and then it's done! Top it off with some cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime. I'm serious when I say that the lime does something crazy wonderful, so please try it.

6. Smile because your tummy is happy.

There ya have it. If you're feeling like you need a bowlful of happiness I hope you try this out and let me know how it goes.

What did you have for dinner last night?