The Connector
The Connector

With temperatures dipping below freezing this past week, I wanted to make a simple one pot dish that would keep me warm and last the week. Soup is usually my go to, but after two weeks of eating it, I wanted something heartier. Chili was a natural solution.

Turkey Chili with Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Photo by  Andy Melton (Creative Commons)
Photo by Andy Melton (Creative Commons)

Ingredients:
Ground turkey $2.50
1/2 cup onion
2 fresh jalapeños $0.50
1 can of diced tomatoes $1
1 can of tomato paste $0.89
1 can of white beans $0.89
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 green bell pepper
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro $0.79
2 tablespoons of cumin
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
a dash of hot sauce (more or less to preference)

Total cost to make: $6.57

Directions:
1. On medium heat in a large pot, cook ground turkey with spices.
2. Add chopped vegetables. Cook until onions are translucent.
3. Add beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir, reduce heat and cover. Let cook for ten    minutes.
4. Add cilantro and hot sauce.

There are many ways to prepare a grilled cheese sandwich. I prefer to bake my sandwiches in the oven at 350 degrees with both sides buttered. The essentials to a great grilled cheese are crispy buttery bread and gooey cheese. The oven or a cast-iron skillet are the best ways to achieve this.

Chili is the perfect dish for cold weather. It is easy to make in bulk, can be slow-cooked all day so it will be ready when you get home and goes well with sandwiches if you’re the kind of southerner who buys a loaf of bread at the hint of snow.