Easiest Chilis.

On a cold day, nothing warms the body like a good bowl of chili. Here are two of my favorites:

This is super easy & really delicious. Sometimes, I add a little cumin & oregano to the mix, but it's almost always well seasoned by the salsa.

Trader Joe's Sample Turkey Chili
1 jar of salsa - preferably something punchy such as mango habenero (same ol' same ol' salsas just don't cut it!!)
1 lb. ground turkey or lean beef
1 box of Pomi diced or crushed tomatoes or a 28oz can
1 bag of frozen roasted corn
(You can also add more veggies etc to this.)

Brown ground meat. Add salsa, tomatoes, corn. Heat thoroughly & serve.


My mom always makes chili on the first cold day of the season. This is a tribute to her tradition.

The First Cold Day Chili
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 box of Pomi diced or crushed tomatoes (or a 28oz can if you can't find the box)
1 green bell pepper
2 tablespoons chili pepper
1 tablespoon chipolte chili pepper (optional - gives a smoky flavor)
1-2 tablespoons of oregano
1 tablespoon of cumin
(sacrilege: Sometimes I add a can of kidney/black beans or corn or carrots depending on if we need more veggies or carbs for the day.)

Brown the beef. If there is fat to skim, skim it. Add the seasonings & mix well. Add the bell pepper & cook it for 1-2 minutes. I like to keep it relatively firm & only slightly cooked. Add the tomatoes & anything else such as corn or beans or both. Heat thoroughly & serve.