MICROWAVE (OR NOT) CHILI

My daddy originally found this recipe for microwave chili.  I'm not sure if he ever actually made it, but after he showed me the recipe, my husband started making it.  He has revised the original recipe from Good Housekeeping and I will be giving you his version.  He doesn't hesitate substituting if he doesn't have enough of the called- for ingredients.  He usually uses a green bell pepper, but he says he has also used red and/or yellow peppers in it also.  He always uses turkey now instead of ground beef, but he has used turkey links (like Brats) in it for the turkey sausage.  

MICROWAVE CHILI

1  lb ground meat

1/2   lb ground sausage

large onion

medium green bell pepper
1/2  teaspoon minced garlic

1  -  28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

3  -  15.5 oz cans of dark kidney beans, undrained

 1/4   teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4   teaspoon salt

1/8   teaspoon ground cinnamon

1   teaspoon ground cumin

1/2  teaspoon oregano
2   teaspoon chili pepper

Directions:

He starts by browning the ground turkey and ground turkey sausage over medium heat in an iron dutch oven pot. He added 2 tablespoons of olive oil since the turkey has so little fat.  

 Meanwhile he diced 3/4 of a 1- lb onion and half of a large green bell pepper.  
When the meat was browned, he added the onion and bell pepper to the pot. 

 He also added the minced garlic and stirred it all together. 
 Increasing the temperature to high, he covered the pot and cooked  the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions and peppers were cooked.

Next he added the crushed tomatoes.

and stirred.

He added the cans of dark red kidney beans, undrained.  (He has used black beans before and/or white kidney beans)

Then he added the spices.....

At this point you could put the chili in a large microwave bowl and cook on high for 30 minutes.  My husband after the first couple of times of making this, started just cooking it on the stove but we still refer to it as Microwave Chili.  He said he couldn't help but think how much electricity was being used running the microwave for 30 minutes.

He brought the mixture to a "strong simmer" over medium heat, covered and then reduced the heat to simmer and cooked for about an hour. 

After enjoying a bowl of it, he bagged 5 quart size freezer bags (about 1-1/2 serving size each) and then enjoyed eating what was left that wasn't enough to fill a bag (well, he said it wasn't enought for another bag ) and left a pot that looked like this.

He does always clean up his mess when he makes his chili.  Remember to wash cast iron with water only NO SOAP.    Then while it is wet, place on stove over medium heat and let it dry from the heat of the burner.  He rubs a little canola oil on the inside of the pot to "reseason" it.