The beautiful fall weather seemed to be a topic of conversation amongst everyone all weekend.  Blue skies and cooler temperatures seemed to put a pep in my step and I’m quickly becoming obsessed with fall weather, fall clothes and fall food.  I’ve already bought my second bag of apples that I’ve been eating everyday and I’m chomping at the bit to break out pumpkin recipes and scary movies.  Yesterday, with the windows wide open and football on the television, I was excited to make a bit pot of chili.  I typically make chili the first weekend of football season but it had been too warm so when I woke up yesterday to a chilly breeze, I knew it was time to make Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili.

Turkey sausage is mixed with vibrant spices, diced tomatoes, poblano peppers and two different kinds of beans to make for a thick and spicy chili.  Using sausage instead of regular turkey gives this chili another layer of flavor and if you use hot sausage instead of sweet sausage (like I did), it creates even more intense, firey burst.  If you don’t like so much heat, you might want to stick to regular chili because the poblanos really do pack a punch but the older I get, the spicier the better.  Adding a touch of sour cream or plain yogurt helps to tame the heat a bit and a topping of cilantro gives a fresh element.  I’m obsessed with this chili.  I plan on eating it all week and might just make it again next weekend.

If you like this, also check out Jerk Chicken Chili.

The ingredients:

Add oil to a Dutch oven pan heated over medium-high heat; swirl to coat.  Add onion and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until browned.

Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan.  Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, poblanos, and bay leaf; cook 4 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble sausage.

Add 1 cup stock, tomatoes, and beans.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Combine flour and the remaining 2 tablespoons stock in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk to form a slurry.  Add slurry to chili, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and black pepper.  Discard bay leaf.  Serve with sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

• Hot sausage

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine