Turkey Chili...and Acorns Keep Falling On My Head

 You know how when a small object falls from above,
it really hurts when it hits you?
 
High school physics wasn't my thing,
in fact, my friend and I would fake being sick, and go to the nurse every other day, just to get out of class.
But one thing I do remember is that 
Galileo did lots of experiments on falling objects...
velocity, acceleration, gravity, stuff like that.

 I'm no physicist, but I can vouch for the fact that if an acorn falls from 
high up in a tree, and hits you on the head, it hurts like the dickens.
I'm guessing that when the apple fell and hit Sir Isaac Newton on the head, 
it didn't tickle,
although the fact that it helped him to discover gravity 
probably took his mind off the pain. 

This past weekend, I was in my yard, putting some things away for winter,
when suddenly...
YEE-OUCH!!! 

It felt like a rock hit my head, but it was just an acorn.

I needed a hard-hat!
Junior Goo Shoes ran and got me a cowboy hat to wear, but it was too soft.
 I put a tupperware bowl on my head, with the cowboy hat over it,
so the neighbors wouldn't think I looked weird, 
although wearing a cowboy hat in your backyard in NJ
is pretty odd, in and of itself.
Maybe in Texas, I would have looked stylish, 
but here, they probably assumed I was dressed for Halloween. 
Or more likely, just strange.

All I can tell you is that when Mr. Goo Shoes got a load of me,
he wanted to take a picture -- badly.
 I told him that if he did, I'd be forced to flush his 
Hagen Daz ice cream bars down the toilet.
He backed down.  

As I was working in the yard, 
and getting pelted with acorns, my thoughts couldn't have been further 
from the Law of Universal Gravitation. 
In fact, I was thinking about what to make for supper --
which always gives me a headache (or maybe it was the acorns this time) --
when I remembered that I had some turkey chili in the freezer.

The recipe is Aunt Goo Shoes' (aka, my sister) creation.
It's easy, and it's healthy.
She's made it for us a bunch of times, but I've made it, too.
If it's easy enough for me to make, anyone can do it. 

 This recipe makes a ton of chili...perfect if you are having a crowd.
Or, it's great to keep some in the freezer for days when you don't feel like cooking,
which for me is every day. 
(I should probably triple the recipe, lol).

I am a wimp when it comes to spicy foods.
This version has a nice little kick to it, but if you prefer a spicier chili, 
just increase the amounts of chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. 

Although it is simple to prepare, you need a good two hours to cook it,
so plan accordingly.
After cooking the meat and veggies, the chili should simmer for an hour. 
Then, after you add the kidney beans, it should cook another 30 - 60 minutes.
But, it's passive cooking -- once you've added the tomatoes, you can do your nails, 
fold the laundry, or write a blog post.
Just make sure to check on the chili and give it a stir every now and then.
Cook the chili uncovered, but if the liquid cooks out too much, 
cover the pot and continue simmering. 
  Top the chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, scallions, 
crumbled taco chips, whatever.
Serve it with a salad, and some corn bread or my zucchini parmesan bread,
and yell "Supper's ready!"

TURKEY CHILI

3 lbs. ground turkey 

2 onions, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce

3 14.5 oz. cans fired-roasted tomatoes (I got mine at Trader Joe's)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 tsp. chili power*

1 tbsp. salt

2 tsp. cumin*

1 tbsp. dried oregano

1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes*
2 15 oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed

*Increase amounts if you prefer a spicier chili.

Brown meat in large frying pan.

Add onions and peppers; cook until vegetables soften.

Add tomato sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste.

Add all spices. 

Simmer uncovered on low for one hour.

Add kidney beans, and cook an additional 30-60 minutes on low flame. (If liquid cooks out too much, then cover).  

 As I'm sitting here at the kitchen table writing, 

acorns keep falling...they keep falling.

I've nearly jumped out of my skin a dozen times already.

They are hitting the skylights with such force,

I'm thinking it might be wise to sit somewhere else,

before one crashes through, and lands in my bowl of leftover chili.

 You may also like:

Nacho Bites

Zucchini Parmesan Bread

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