Super Bowl Sunday Prep: Three Bean Turkey Chili

This is one of our standbys . . . you can make this with either canned beans, if you don't have much time, or can cook the beans first from scratch. I do both, depending on how much time I have. We'll be enjoying this this Sunday for the Super Bowl!

Three Bean Turkey Chili

If you are using dry beans, in a large pot put 1 cup, each of black, white and pinto beans along with at least 8 cups of water over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir every once in a while until beans are about 3/4s of the way cooked. Take off heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda to beans and stir. This will foam up, but it will take away some of the gassiness!

Drain beans in a colander in the sink and then rinse well. I often cook the beans in two medium sized pots, one for the white beans only and the other for the black and pinto beans because the black beans sometimes dye the white beans and, since this is three-bean chili, I like to be able to differentiate the different colors of the beans!

Cooking dry beans is very inexpensive and takes very little guidance or watching. If you're going to be home anyway, throw them on and go about your business. They will take about an hour to cook.

If you are using cooked, canned beans, drain and rinse in a colander one can each of cooked pinto, white kidney beans (cannelini) and black beans.

Now, on to the recipe:

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 7-oz can green chiles
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 2/3 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 cups beef broth
• Water to cover (or more beef broth, I use this product for nearly all my broths in all my recipes. all the time)

In a large, heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat brown turkey with onion, garlic and bell pepper. Once browned, add beans and remainder of ingredients, stirring to mix. Add enough water or beef broth to cover and simmer over medium-low heat for at least thirty minutes, and up to two or three hours.

This makes a pretty spicy chili, so adjust per your taste.

Serve hot with your favorite chili accompaniments (tortillas and tortilla chips are de rigueur in my house, but I know that crackers (Saltines and even oyster crackers) are more common in some parts of the country) and a dollop of sour cream and grated cheese on top never did anyone any harm. Enjoy!