CHILI WILLIE

Who doesn't love CHILI?  Who doesn't love Willie?  Put them together and what do you get?  Chili-Willie!

I know, it's corny, but look - It's May, 2020 and the hubs and I, along with the rest of the known world have been quarantined in our homes since mid March due to a Pandemic known as the Novel (new) Corona Virus.  This will be one for the history book's ya'll!  So forgive me if I get a little corny - I'm hurtin' for material!  

Not that everyone doesn't know it, but just to document for history's sake - EVERYTHING is closed down to try to keep everyone as safe as possible.  The White House CoronaVirus Task Force comes on television every day and updates us on how many people have been infected, how many have died and on positive days, they update us with the number of people who've actually recovered.  We've got so many new catch words and phrases now like "flatten the curve", "shelter in place", "social distancing", "working from home" and the word "unprecedented" is being thrown around like southerners toss out the word "Ya'll".  It's crazy, but even amidst the crazy, we southerners are doing what we do best - cookin' and eatin'.  Our first three weeks of quarantine I gained a whopping 8 pounds!  Yep, you read that right.  I was cooking like Paula Deen's baby sister she didn't know she had! It was as if I was a contestant on one of those cooking competition shows and honey, I was in it to win it!  



Fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, roast and taters, you name it, I was cooking it.  We were living it up.  Then one day I had to go into the office for work and much to my horror - I couldn't zip my pants!  Those three weeks of little exercise and hearty southern eating, really took it's toll.  It was fun while it lasted but Tink and I knew we had to get back on our clean eating plan that we try to stick to during normal times. We did and for the last 3 weeks or so, we've been eating salads, broccoli, grilled chicken or shrimp, lean beef and trying to watch our diet.  But today, we just craved something spicy so I created a new "healthier version" of Chili which I have affectionately named "Chili Willie" in honor of one of my country music faves, Mr. Willie Nelson.  

Like Willie, this recipe is rugged, spicy and when you eat it you feel like you could be a Cowboy working a cattle drive on a dusty Texas roundup.  (Okay, I may be going too far, but you get my drift.  It's good....It's Texas good.)  Ya'll, I'm not lying - I can picture Barbarosa eating this Chili.  Wait, what's that?  Who's Barbarosa, you ask?  Three words - Just watch it!




Now, back to the recipe.  

Melissa’s Chili Willie

Ingredients:  

1 Lb. Lean Ground Turkey (or 93% lean ground beef)

½ Onion (Small to Medium size)

1 Tbsp. Garlic (I use the Spice World squeeze garlic)

2 cans Chili Beans (any brand you prefer)

1 can Hunts Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 can Original Rotel Tomatoes & Peppers

2 8oz. cans Tomato Sauce

3 Tbsp. McCormick’s Chili Powder (add more if you’d like it spicer)

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Sugar

Water as desired

Optional:  5 Wieners (Oscar Mayer or any brand you prefer)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown turkey or ground beef large pot.  (My Daddy wouldn't eat poultry, so I always like to add a beef option in my recipes, keeping in mind that there are some folks who don't eat birds. Still can't understand that, but I digress.)  Now, add onion and garlic and cook with the meat until it's browned.  (If using ground beef, drain on paper towels if needed and put back in pot.  Turkey should not need to be drained.)

Open all canned ingredients and add one by one, stirring as you go.  Add Chili Powder, Vinegar and Sugar and mix well.  Bring all this to a low boil, then decrease temp to a low medium setting on your stove top.  If you like your chili with more juice, at this point go ahead and add some water, about a half cup at a time, trying not to make it too watery.  Note:  If you’ve never tried adding hot dog wieners to your homemade chili, you should try it!  Slice up the wieners and add them to the chili at this point.  Note:  This will add calories and fat to your chili, so be aware of that.  You could always add turkey wieners. Now, taste and add salt and pepper until it tastes how you like it.  Turn on low and simmer for at least 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This Chili tastes good on day one, but even better as a leftover dish.  (You can’t say that about many foods, now can ya?)

I think Willie would be proud.  Maybe I'll just send him a bowl.  Stay well ya'll!