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Contest and Linky Closed
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.
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.
Ingredients
- 2 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 powder
Instructions
- Heat 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.
Ingredients
- 1 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 butter
Instructions
- Preheat 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.
Audra
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Diane-The WHOLE Gang
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Liz@HoosierHomemade
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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MamaOtwins+1
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Squeaky Gourmet
posted on September 23, 2009 at 11:35 am
I love corn bread and chili–great recipes thanks~!
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Keegan
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Jessie at Blog Schmog
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Lindsay
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Linda
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Phoebe @ Cents to Get Debt Fre
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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.
[Reply]
Sandy Gillett
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Connie
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Ari-Food Intolerances Cook
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Brian
posted on September 23, 2009 at 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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Alta
posted on September 24, 2009 at 8:42 am
OMG I love a good cornbread. Will definitely have to make this.
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Mari
posted on September 24, 2009 at 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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Iris
posted on September 24, 2009 at 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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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on September 24, 2009 at 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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cheryl
posted on September 24, 2009 at 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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Kara Haschke
posted on September 25, 2009 at 12:58 am
This looks SO delicious!
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Sue D
posted on September 25, 2009 at 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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Jeanette
posted on September 25, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Our tradition is to go pumpkin picking. The chili looks wonderful.
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Gretchen
posted on September 26, 2009 at 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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Lauren
posted on September 27, 2009 at 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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Holly
posted on October 13, 2009 at 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…
[Reply]
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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Miz Helen
posted on October 4, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Miz Amy,
Thank you so much for bringing your wonderful Spicy ‘n Sweet Turkey Pinto Bean Chili over to The Cottage for the Texas Star Chili Cook Off.
I was so excited to see that you were the first to arrive.
Thank you!!
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honeyfrog
posted on October 29, 2010 at 2:19 pm
My mother makes cornbread dressing during the holidays. This is almost exactly her recipe only she never puts anything sweet in her cornbread. Now, if I could just find a drop biscuit recipe I’ll be all set for Thanksgiving!
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Amy Reply:
November 3rd, 2010 at 10:13 am
@honeyfrog, Yes, the sweet vs. nonsweet cornbread debate. Seem that true southerners don’t add anything sweet. I’m not originally from the south so I do it my way.
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Miz Helen
posted on November 1, 2010 at 8:14 am
Congratulations Amy! The judges have named your Chili our Second Place Winner in the Meat or Poultry Category at the Texas Star Chili Cook Off! Your Chili was just wonderful and our judges loved it. Thank you so much for bringing your Chili to the Cook Off. Check out your link on the Winners Page.
Best Wishes and Love!
Miz Helen
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Amy Reply:
November 3rd, 2010 at 10:06 am
@Miz Helen, Wow! Second place!
I am thrilled. I saw the recipes that were submitted and there were lots of great flavor profiles. I’m honored to have come in second.
Much love!
Amy
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