Italian Chili

Last night's dinner was a slow cooker meal. Because I was gone most of the day, and dinner was in shifts, I needed something that could be ready when I got home and that would still be good and hot when everyone else got to it. Chili was my first thought, but rather than just make traditional chili, I decided to mix things up a bit. Not knowing if such a thing existed, I decided to create an Italian chili (I found out later that such a thing does exist, and appears in several forms). I didn't have a recipe, but I did have a pound of ground turkey, some beans and leftover pasta sauce, so I decided to wing it. It actually turned out really well, and my husband asked me to repeat it! :) Below is my recipe. It should be noted that I never measure anything or follow an exact recipe, so all my "measurements" are approximate. But, I view cooking as an art, and my ingredients as my paint and palette...it is my belief that experimentation is a must when it comes to cooking. It is part of the fun in the process. Bon appetite!


1 lb. ground turkey
1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn (just for fun...corn is not really Italian)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes*
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup pasta sauce (optional...I just had some I needed to use)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dry basil
1 tsp. dry rosemary
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. anise
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes.
1 tsp. brown sugar
a dash of chili powder
a dash of garlic salt
Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Directions: First, don't freak out when you see the list of ingredients. About half are spices and seasonings. If you don't have all the herbs or seasonings, you can always substitute Italian sausage for the turkey, becauseI basically just seasoned my meat to mimic Italian sausage. Ok, step #

1. Place olive oil skillet to coat the bottom. Add the turkey, butter, vinegar and garlic salt. Cook on medium to high heat, string occasionally as you break up the turkey. Cook until turkey is cooked through.

2. Once the turkey is fully cooked, transfer to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients, stirring after each is added to spread flavors evenly. Let simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours. Serve over polenta, pasta, or with crusty Italian bread (my choice). Garnish with cheese. Serves 2 generously or 4 smaller portions.

*If you wanted a lighter version, you could use fresh tomatoes rather than canned. I was going for more of a savory flavor.