"Mama Makes" with Claudia

It's time to get into the Halloween and Fall spirit!  I hope you enjoy this week long series, Mama Makes Halloween Edition.

Today I would like to introduce you to Claudia.  She has a sweet little family and her baby boy is just the cutest!

Hey y'all! My name is Claudia and I blog over at Lashes & Beard. That's my little corner of the blogosphere where I write a lot about my faith, delicious food, my wonderful family, and anything that inspires laughter and creativity. You'll find most of what I write has equal measures of humor, observation, and sarcasm. Beyond the blog, I'm both blessed and humbled to call Josh my husband, Isaiah my son, the Pacific Northwest my home, and Jesus Christ my Savior. Aside from writing, I love to read, bake, and dabble in a bit of photography.

When Summer posted the opportunity to be part of her Mama Makes series, I was all over it! So today I thought I'd share one of my favorite Fall recipes with you all: Italian Turkey Chili.

I'll be honest... this recipe was a total fluke! My work was holding a chili cook-off and, having never made chili in my entire life, I decided I'd give it a shot and enter the contest. I'm not a fan of your standard chili so I wanted to make something I'd enjoy eating. I love Italian food, and from that, I created the recipe you see below. Not only was this chili chosen as the winning chili out of over 20 other contestants, but some of the contestants (and judges!) were dyed-in-the-wool Southerners. Yes, I'm bragging. But so will you once you feed this awesome chili to your friends and family! In addition to being incredibly tasty, it's also a great meal for busy moms as the meal can either be whipped together quickly or left in the slow cooker while you're out and about.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey

2 cans (15 oz. each) garbanzo beans/chickpeas, drained

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (I like Hunt's oregano, basil & garlic tomatoes), drained

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

4 oz. capers, drained

4 oz. sun dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

5 cups water

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a skillet, cook the ground turkey thoroughly, being sure to break up into small pieces. Season to taste.

2. In a large pot, add water, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and all spices. 

3. Once the turkey is fully cooked, drain and add to the pot.

4. Bring the pot of ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Let simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. When finished cooking, remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream or a shredded Italian cheese blend. Enjoy!

If you would like to make this dish in a slow cooker, follow steps 1 thru 3. To cook in 4 hours, set your slow cooker to High. If you'd like it to cook in 8 hours, set your slow cooker to Low. Grab a ladle, dish it up, and serve with your favorite crusty bread for a tasty and hearty Fall meal.

Thank you so much Claudia!

Blog: Lashes and Beard

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