Turkey Chili Mac

It’s Thursday, which means it is time for a crock pot recipe. I found a Chili Mac recipe in Beth Hensperger’s Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two cookbook which sounded interesting. I changed up the original version quite a bit to create my own Chili Mac, and it turned out quite tasty. A good dish to feed a family that likes different levels of spicy food, because the dish as is, is not spicy, but if you like spicy food, you can add the spice by using your favorite salsa, Tabasco, or jalapenos.

Our son complained and complained when I told him what we were having for dinner. Even though I’ve never made this before he proclaimed that it is a “ucky dinner.” After a couple of bites he said “this is really yummy. Can we have this again?” That’s a glowing recommendation from a 4 year old!
Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
• 3 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp (use more if you want a more spicy dish) ancho chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 lb. pasta (elbow, baby shells, mini penne), cooked al dente
• 1 c. frozen corn
• 1/4 c. black olives, sliced
• 2 c. grated cheddar or pepperjack cheese
• 1/4 c. cilantro for garnish
• Additional toppings of choice: Chipotle Tabasco, sour cream, salsa, or jalapenos

Directions:

1. Spray inside of crockpot with cooking spray.
2. in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook onions and garlic until soft; then add the chili powder, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and turkey and cook until turkey is cooked through, stirring occasionally to break it up; then place mixture in slow cooker.
3. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans, to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
4. Stir the cooked pasta, corn, and olives into the chili. Cover and cook on LOW for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until pasta and corn are warmed through.
5. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro and/or any of the other toppings.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Mac: