Tuesday, November 29, 2016

White Turkey Chili

As I was wadding through a healthy collection of emails today, I found one for a blog I subscribe to. After clicking on the link to the blog I began to read the current post. The blogger had received an email asking if she would be willing to provide a list of blogs she followed, so in turn there was a list provided of blogs that were important to her.
I allowed my mind to wander as I finished reading, thinking about how great it would be to not have to work, to be able to stay home, read blogs, test recipes and write here in my own blog. But that is not a possibility at this time, for now I continue to put in many hours at the restaurant, helping care for my mom and volunteering at the church. Recently we have even added the trial of having family members living with us temporarily while they get on their feet. Grandpa still babysits one day a week, as well as returned part time to the workforce for the time being, to help provide the means to continue on our house project.

It’s been a year of changes and challenges, but all in all, it has been a pretty good year. This last week we celebrated Thanksgiving, and I find it easy to be grateful for my sons and their wives, my wonderful three (soon to be four) grandchildren, still having my parents with me, and even with all its issues, we have a home that we can share with others. We have jobs to go to, food in our cupboards and frig, and gas in our cars. There is always something we can thank God for, and when we take the time to give credit to Him, our lives are better for it. When I focus on all the things I don’t have I loose perspective of the things that are truly important. I doubt I will ever have the money that I would need to do all the things I want to do, but I seem to always have enough love in my life to make it not matter. I pray that the same rings true for you.


This week we have eaten enough cold turkey sandwiches to satisfy us for a while, and yet there was still a leg, a thigh and a bit of white meat still Ziploc’d in the frig. A friend posted a video of turkey butternut squash chili on Facebook which got me to thinking, I also remembered another friend that used to make a white chili (but it used canned cream soup which is something that I can say I’m not a fan, as well as something outside my eating plan) but gave me the idea for that leftover turkey, and the result became a hardy rich stew that was enjoyed on a cold night. So if you are looking for something to use the last of the Thanksgiving turkey, give this a try. My family gobbled it up and went back for more.












White Turkey Chili
4-5 cups Turkey leftovers, diced

Small dice following vegetables
1 Onion
1 cup celery
1 cup carrot
1 cup cabbage

1/2 to whole jalapeno fine diced (veins and seeds removed) depending on your taste (we used 1/2)
2 Tblsp Cummin
2 cans Cannellini beans (15oz cans)
1 can Fire roasted green chilis (7 oz)
1 can Green chili enchilada sauce (large)
1 Qt Vegetable or Chicken stock (I had turkey drippings)
Salt & Pepper to taste
12 oz cream cheese
6-10 Quart heavy stock pot (my favorite is a cast iron roaster that holds even heat)
Saute the diced vegetables over medium heat in a little oil until onions and cabbage are translucent and carrots softened. Add turkey, spices, jalapeno, beans including liquid, chilis and sauce.  Add enough stock to ensure all the vegetables are covered. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.  Add cream cheese and stir until it has completely melted into the chili  (while the chili simmers cube up the cream cheese to allow it to come to room temp faster as well as incorporated into the chili more easily). 
Serve with gratted cheese, sour cream, chips, or whatever your favorite chili toppings might be. 

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