Loki's Super Tasty Turkey Chili

I felt like utter crap last night, plus I wanted to play Dragon Age 2.  So, cooking was put on the back burner (heh).  Instead I'll write about an awesome slow cooker recipe that I found on Loki's Kitchen.  I know her in real life, and she recommended it to me when I mentioned wanting to use my slow cooker for things other than making mulled wine once during the holidays.  I got my slow cooker as a wedding present years ago and have only used it a handful of times.  Several of my friends have praised the virtues of the slow cooker and I think they're right.  So far, I've only used it on weekends since there is nothing on earth that could motivate me to get up even earlier on a work day.  Morning and I are not friends. 

This recipe looked so good (and idiot proof) that I served it to friends without trying it by myself first.  Usually, I don't experiment on people.  But, I did this time and they really liked it!  I used my own combination of spices, as most people do when they make chili.  I also added extra cheese because, well, cheese.  One of my friends likes food so spicy that it would sear the tastebuds off a normal person, so I let him have some sri racha sauce on the side.  :P

An Experiment - Meatless Monday

One thing I really miss about having Dave here is that he cleans up after me when I cook. He somehow manages to get my mess into the dishwasher.  When he's not here, the kitchen looks like it was attacked by a pack of rabid weasels covered in tomato sauce and cilantro stems.

Since I was on my own for dinner, I made an experiment.  Part of the reason I started this blog was to inspire myself to create my own recipes instead of always relying on cookbooks and things I find online. I like to make vegetarian meals a few times a week.  I made a "chili" out of the can of red kidney beans I've had in the pantry for a while.  My first instinct was to use ALL the spices!  Chili powder! Paprika (all 3 kinds)! Oregano!  Cardamom! About fashion accessories, Coco Chanel said "before you walk out the door, take one thing off."   I decided to keep it simpler.  I made enough for one very generous serving, and I didn’t measure things.  But, I’m writing this down as a 2 serving recipe for ease of use.

 I expected the result of my experiment to be edible enough that I wouldn't have to toss it and send out for Chinese.  I was shocked that it was actively good!  In addition to kidney beans, I added a chopped jalapeno and a few forkfuls of pimentos from a jar.  The pimentos are a little sweet, which went nicely with the chili powder and paprika.   I think I got the spice blend right, but in the future I would use a little less chili powder.  It was the right amount of spice until I was about 3/4 done with my bowl, and then it started being a little too much for me. It's not "real" chili, but it's a hearty soup that doesn't take very long to make.