Hearty bowl of chili is good football food

A Super Bowl of Chili is perfect for game night or any night you crave a big bowl of hearty chili.

Leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, I couldn’t stop thinking about chili. For me, chili always screamed football food. When we used to have friends and family over to watch the big game, I would make batches of it and have it simmering for our guests. It’s easy to customize each bowl with lots of toppings for every fan.

Even now, with just me in the house, I crave a steaming bowl of chili for the big game. Today’s recipe for a Super Bowl of Chili is a hale and hearty meal with lots of veggies and the lean meatiness of ground turkey. Chili-style canned tomatoes bring just the right amount of acidity to the stew, and I pump up the flavor with additional spices.

No matter which team you are pulling for this Sunday or how many people are in front of your TV, a Super Bowl of Chili is sure to be a winner.

Contact Alicia Ross at Kitchen Scoop, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, or send email to tellus@kitchenscoop.com. Visit the Kitchen Scoop Web site at www.kitchenscoop.com.

Suggested Menu:

Super Bowl of Chili

Assorted toppings (see recipe suggestions)

Coleslaw

Beverages of choice

Super Bowl of Chili

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 cup yellow pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (14.5 ounces) chili-style tomatoes

1 can (15.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional toppings — chopped fresh parsley, crumbled corn chips, cheese, sour cream

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Add the turkey, onion, carrots, and yellow pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until turkey is crumbly and cooked through and vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir well, then add tomatoes and both cans of beans. Stir well and cover. Cook 5 to 10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve immediately or reduce heat to low and simmer up to 30 more minutes until ready to serve. Just before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with toppings, if desired.

Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 weeks.

Approximate values per serving (without toppings): 454 calories, 13 g fat (3 g saturated), 77 mg cholesterol, 37 g protein, 77 g carbohydrates, 13 g dietary fiber, 301 mg sodium.