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Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives

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Looks yummy, doesn’t it?

When you’d rather get dinner on the table so you enjoy time with the family outside, this is your new go-to meal. Chili is not just a winter meal. It’s a versatile dish with many options for eating it: layered on top of a grilled hotdog, poured over bowtie pasta, inside an empanada or as the base of Frito pie.

I prefer a thick tomato based chili served as the base for a multitude of toppings. Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives is not a overly spiced chili, but if you want more heat you can add a couple smoked ancho peppers (that will crank up the heat!) to the pot or top a bowl of chili with fresh sliced jalapenos. Because people like their chili with different levels of heat, I keep it simple and provide options for toppings, like a “buffet o’ heat” ranging from bottled sriracha to sliced peppers. The sour cream cools of the heat and balances the acidic tomato flavor.

My recipe gets its name from using Texas Jet Lone Star Chili Seasoning, a packet of spices brought home by my boyfriend after a trip to Houston. However, you can make your own chili seasoning with this Taste of Home recipe, if you need it.

Saute the garlic and onions in a tablespoon of melted butter until soft before adding a pound of ground turkey. Over medium heat to medium-high heat, stir the meat with the garlic and onions continuously until it is cooked thoroughly, Because there is no grease to drain (healthier!), you can then add the canned ingredients, mix well, cover and allow to cook on a medium-low simmer until the chili reaches the consistency you prefer for serving (typically about 30 minutes).

Remember to provide options for toppings for your chili fans. I grow fresh herbs in container pots so adding fresh chive was as easy as chopping some and sprinkling them on top of added sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Chives are super simple to grow as long as you provide them partial sun, maintain moist soil, and give them drainage.

This dinner recipe will serve about 6-8 bowls of chili. If cooking for two people, like me, you will have a couple days of leftovers available to pack for lunches or freeze for later use. By preparing Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives for dinner tonight, you’ll free yourself from worrying about future meals because you’ll have extra servings on-the-ready when you’re ready to heat and eat. Free up yourself from the confines of the kitchen this summer by making a big batch of this yummy, stovetop chili to feed your family for days!

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Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives

onedelightfullife.com
Chili is a hearty, make-ahead meal that helps keep dinnertime chaos-free for you and your family.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course dinner, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 -8 bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 chopped white or yellow onion
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1.5 oz half a package Texas Jet Lone Star Chili Seasoning
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 can chili-ready canned beans or pinto beans undrained
  • 1 can chili-ready diced canned tomatoes undrained
  • 1 cup water optional, if you think the chili is too thick

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, melt butter and then add onions and garlic over medium heat. Stir continuously until garlic and onions are softened. Add in ground turkey and continue stirring until cooked thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the chili to simmer at least 30 minutes. Serve in bowls garnished with sour cream, cheddar cheese and chives.

Notes

Crank up the heat by adding a pinch of red pepper flake or sriracha while the chile is simmering.

Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash

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How do you get an idea for a meal?

If you’re like me, you either get inspired by the ingredients in your refrigerator or by some gorgeous food photo on Pinterest. This recipe was inspired by an abundance of bell peppers and squash recently purchased from a local farmer.

This week I travelled to pick up my pup from her new kennel and on the way home stopped at a farmer’s produce stand. Supporting local business, especially farmers, is becoming increasingly part of my MO. The produce is off-the-charts delicious and much larger in size than anything you’ll find at the grocery store. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, their produce is chemical free. I’ll be back to grab a bucket and pick fruit in no time.

Shout out to Sargeant’s Berry Farm (not an affiliate) for the bell peppers used in my Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash, a recipe with a whole lotta tasty flavor thanks to a fool-proof marinade. Come home from work tonight and get your fiesta on!

I used our Traeger grill to get a slightly smokey flavor, but that comes at a cost because it doesn’t guarantee photo-worthy, deep grill marks. But, oh that charred flavor! To cut down on over using oil, simply spray your halved veggies with canola cooking spray.

Lightly coat your halved veggies with cooking space and place them flat side down to start.
Lightly coat your halved veggies with cooking space and place them flat side down to start.

The onions and peppers take longer to soften and get charred than the squash so be watchful and don’t neglect the grill.

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Grill the boneless chicken breasts until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Simply insert a instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check.

I love sharp cheddar cheese with my fajitas (in copious amounts as seen here). You could also use taco cheese or monterrey jack cheese.
I love sharp cheddar cheese with my fajitas (in copious amounts as seen here). You could also use taco cheese or monterrey jack cheese.

 

Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash

onedelightfullife.com
Don't heat up the kitchen this summer or make a mess. Grill these super savory chicken fajitas and you'll be sayin' "Ole!" after the first bite.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Course fajitas
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pkg small flour tortillas taco size
  • canola cooking spray
  • salt and pepper
  • Filling:
  • 3 large boneless chicken skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 yellow peeled and halved onions
  • 1 yellow halved squash
  • 1 halved and cored green bell pepper
  • 1 halved and cored orange sweet bell pepper
  • 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Optional: 1/4 c. Field Day Organic Double Fire Roasted Salsa, Daisy Light Sour Cream, lime wedge
  • Marinade:
  • 1 1/2 tsp all-purpose seasoned salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions
 

  • Heat grill to medium heat.
  • Mix all dry marinade spices in a small bowl. Dump spices into a large plastic zip top bag. Add olive oil, lime juice, and chicken to the bag. Close bag and use your hands on the bag to coat the chicken evenly of the marinade. Refrigerate 30 mins.
  • In the meantime, prep all of your vegetables and spray them with canola cooking spray. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
  • Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow bag to come to almost room temperature. Remove chicken and place on the grill. Spray halved vegetables with canola cooking spray. Place vegetables face down on hot grill. (The squash will take the least amount of time. Leave the onions and peppers on longer until softened and slightly charred on both sides.)
  • Turn chicken breasts after about 6 minutes. Remove chicken from grill when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove vegetables and chicken and allow the meat to rest 5 minutes. Cut all vegetables and chicken into strips.
  • Fill each tortilla with chicken, vegetables, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and serve with sour cream.

Notes

If you don't want your marinade to be as spicy, eliminate the red pepper flakes.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic

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We eat a ton of discount vegetables in our home thanks to the deep discounts in our local grocer’s produce section each week. My eyes are light lasers zeroing in on the bright orange stickers.

$1.99 for a bag of Brussels sprouts? Into the cart! You should see my level of stalking excitement when I witness the produce manager stamping sale stickers on packages portobellos or fresh herbs.

Because I often buy so many veggies, I try to cook them up different ways: grilled, roasted, sautéed, and raw. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic are like little savory cabbages caramelized in savory, tangy flavor. Grab a baking sheet and get to roastin’!

roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-turkey-bacon-and-balsalmic2

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts trim off the bottom stems
  • 4-5 diced turkey bacon strips
  • 1/2 diced medium-large chunks sweet yellow onion (optional)
  • 2-3 T. olive oil
  • 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
  • heavy pinch salt
  • heavy pinch pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Rinse the Brussels sprouts and trim off their stem ends. Discard any brown leaves.
  • Dice the turkey strips.
  • Dice the onion into medium to large chunks. (optional)
  • Toss all veggies in a large bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  • Pour veggies on to a large ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan.
  • Top with chopped turkey bacon.
  • Roast Brussels sprouts for 8 minutes. Open oven, remove pan and rotate Brussel sprouts using a spatula. Add the balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven and finish roasting for 8 additional minutes.
  • Serve hot.

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