Snow Day Chili
We are officially into February! 2022! Wooooo! I really need some better things to start happening & for life to get a little better! Wooooo!
Ok seriously.
Every January & February -- here in Virginia Beach, Virginia – I always hold out SO MUCH HOPE for snow. Just 1. Just 1 big one. OK maybe not a “big” one but like….6 inches. Enough to shut the damn schools down & make it too messy to drive so my husband has to stay home and snuggle & day drink all day with meeeee.
why the hell is it called snow day chili?
Welp, if ya’ll have been following along with my blog entries, in January, we got 2 pretty impressive snows in Virginia Beach – back to back weekends too! EEOWWWW!!!
Back in January 2017, we had a HUGE snowstorm…. I’m talking over 10 inches. It snowed hard AF for 24 hours straight. It was truly amazing. I loved every minute of it. It also snowed on a Sunday into a Monday so EVEN BETTER.
what the hell is up with everyone’s love of chili?!
So, we were stuck at home, day-drinking, watching Netflix & having a glorious time. Chris turns to me on the couch around 11 AM & goes….what are we gonna eat today? Men. Can I not just drink Champagne all day & watch the snow fall? Like, shit.
Well, he wanted chili. CHILI? Like what are you, 5? You gonna go play in the snow & come inside and warm up with grilled cheese & CHILI? – yes, that’s exactly what he meant & that’s exactly what he wanted.
we’re getting there.
Well, friends. This day was the day of epic proportions – I decided to pull out my inner Julia Child & do some werk.
I didn’t grow up eating Chili….just like I didn’t grow up eating beef stroganoff or any other “regular” foods that I should probably have some sort of damn knowledge about. So, I was kinda at a loss.
I looked thru the pantry & looked thru the freezer – I had a plethora of random-ass-shit. Kitchen Sink Chili? Sure, let’s do it! Even if that totally doesn’t sound appetizing in the least.
Ground Turkey, Creamed Corn, Red Wine, Dark & Light Kidney Beans, Crushed Tomatoes, Pureed Pumpkin, Sweet Vidalia Onions, lots of spices…..the list goes on. Does that all go together?? What’s the worst that could happen? BRILLIANCE, IS WHAT HAPPENED.
Ingredients
· 1 LB Ground Turkey, cooked
· 1 medium Vidalia Onion, chopped
· 1 can Crushed / Diced Tomatoes, 32 Oz
· 1 (or 2) can Dark Kidney Beans, 15 Oz
· 1 can Sweet Creamed Corn, 14.75 Oz
· 1 can Pureed Pumpkin, 15 Oz
· 1 can Low Sodium Chicken Broth, 14.5 Oz
· 1 cup boiled water
· ½ cup ROBUST red wine
OPTIONAL *** 15 Oz can tomato sauce if you’re missing that extra tomato flavor
INGREDIENTS, part 2
· Spices : S+P, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, & coriander
((the old saying says : “season every level” of your cooking – chili needs depths of flavor that can only be achieved by different flavors marrying together as they simmer for lengths of time. Salt, Pepper & Garlic powder are my holy trio of everything worth eating. The Cumin, Chili Powder & Coriander are the extras that add the final umphs of flavor that makes chili, chili. – I use SO MUCH chili powder – I’m not exaggerating when I say I probably use 3 TBS of chili powder – I love the smoky-sweet notes & the deep color it adds to this chili. Basically – season everything as you go & taste everything as you go. But Rule of Thumb…I’d use at least 1 TSP of each spice and adjust from there))
Instructions, part 1
Cook the Ground Turkey thoroughly, until no pink remains, & season with S+P and garlic powder.
Chop the Vidalia Onion & add directly into the pan with the ground turkey on medium heat.
((Setting a timer for 5 minute intervals, stirring occasionally, and slowly add ingredients every 5 minutes to ensure everything is cooked thoroughly and having a chance to mingle with one another.))
Next, rinse the can(s) of dark kidney beans well & add them in & stir well to combine. I say *or two* because some people like extra beans in their chili. I, too, enjoy the magical fruit, so do with that whatever you wish! I like putting in the kidney beans early so they really have a chance to soften & absorb all the amazing flavors you are about to dump on them!
Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes along with the pureed can of pumpkin – this should make some really pretty & fun colors start to appear in this chili – it’s probably going to start smelling even more amazing too!
Once another 5 minute timer has passed, it’s time to start seriously tasting – this is the beginning of the point of no return – things MUST be seasoned & they MUST be seasoned well, dammit!
After you have added your plethora of appropriate spices, set another 5 minute timer & let them do the damn thing – SIMMER.
Instructions, part 2
I urge you to taste your chili as often as possible – when this is all said & done, your chili will be cooking / simmering for nearly an hour – the longer the better. As long as you can stave off your mouth-watering, this chili will blow your mind even further, I promise you that!
Once you are sure-as-shit that your chili has been spiced the way you like it, you may now pour in your can of creamed corn & the red wine – the chili will once again transform its color into a deep purple with a velvety consistency – absolutely beautiful!
The can of Creamed Corn & the ½ cup of red wine are the piece de resistance. These are the final flavor contributors that make this chili MINE & also a little weird – the wine, not weird at all. I mean, who doesn’t wanna crack open their favorite red wine & drink some while you’re ALSO cooking with it?! Sounds like heaven to me.
The creamed corn gives everything that thick consistency that everyone looks for with chili – the sweetness definitely doesn’t hurt either – with the competition of the smoky chili powder, it needs a bit of a reprieve.
Turn your heat down to low & put a lid on it – set a timer for 20 minutes & let that thing be well on its way to meet its maker – YOU.
Like I said, if you have that extra patience (truthfully, sometimes, not me) and can wait a full, extra 30 minutes for this sucker to simmer to its optimal peak (& for the wine to properly cook out), then go for it – if not, then just know this chili *could* be 10 times better, you just aren’t letting it reach its true performance ;)
on the snowiest of winter days…. or not!
In all seriousness, I love that this chili was a random, happy mistake – yes, Bob Ross quotes can come in handy for cooking, too! I enjoyed paving the way for Chris & my favorite chili to be born, even if I thought the circumstances were random. But it has given us a new tradition : every time it snows, we make this! We call it Snow Day Chili for a reason & love all the delicious randomness that it consists of – I hope you do too! I know kids would probably enjoy making this, tasting it along the way & seeing all the stuff that goes into making it – plus grilled cheese on the side, WIN-FUCKING-WIN!
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you loved it, I’d love to hear from you.
If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
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