Stovetop Chili Mac

Since my oldest has now asked to have chili mac 3 times since I first made it, I was planning on making it for dinner last night. Well, I got really busy doing some things around the house, and before I knew it it was too late to start the crock pot. So I adapted the crock pot recipe to make a stove top version and it was tasty and very well received.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 TBSP + 1 tsp. chili powder
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 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. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook onions and garlic until soft; then add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and turkey and cook until turkey is cooked through, stirring occasionally to break it up.
2. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans to the meat mixture and combine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or so.
3. Stir the cooked pasta, corn, and olives into the chili.
4. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro and/or any of the other toppings.

Chili Mac: