Chili with Turkey

16 oz lean turkey
2 garlic cloves (diced)
32 oz. of diced tomato
30 oz. of kidney beans
3 tablespoons chili powder
Optional: 1.5 cups of wheat macaroni
Also optional: a few tablespoons of colby and monterey jack cheese

Easy and simple, as well as mild. Full of carbs and protein, and a bit of childhood nostalgia. Ground turkey in frying pan on medium heat. Once meat is cooked, stir in diced garlic cloves.

In separate pot, turn on medium heat, add diced tomato and kidney beans together. Mix in chili powder. Once turkey is ground, add in and allow to simmer for twenty-five minutes.

Now for the very Wisconsin addition to the recipe. Cook wheat pasta until al dente in a separate pot (the firm taste is great when mixed in with the kidney beans. I picked elbow macaroni for a bit of nostalgia, since this is what my mom always used in her recipe, but any kind would do. My friend from Michigan says that folks do not generally add in the grain, and that it was only when she moved here that it became common. So enjoy the feast that is pasta added to the chili!

And because I have been very good this week, and it is football Sunday, a small dash of colby and monterey jack cheese sprinkled on top. Good meal for a cool (almost fall) day.