Chili for a Chilly Day

Its Sunday morning, the temperatures have plummeted here in Arizona (for you non-Arizonans, that means that the highs are only around 70 and the lows are in the 40s), so it seemed like a good day for chili. Oddly enough, I came across this recipe earlier in the day while flipping through the latest Williams Sonoma catalog. Even better, this was a recipe for which we had all the ingredients on hand: leftover turkey (check), fresh oregano (check), anaheim chilis (check, courtesy of our CSA), fresh cilantro (ditto).

White Turkey Chili (Adapted from Williams Sonoma)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 lb Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled, and diced
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 lb diced cooked turkey
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp minced fresh oregano
4 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp cornmeal

In large pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add cumin and garlic; cook, stirring, ~30 seconds. Stir in chilies and broth. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in turkey, beans, oregano, and cilantro. Put cornmeal into a small bowl, stir into turkey mixture. Cover and simmer for ~1 hour.
Ladle into bowls for serving.

So, what's the verdict? We were pleasantly surprised...what started out as a way to use up some of our ingredients turned out perfectly. Football is on the TV (of course the Cardinals managed to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory"), its a cool fall day outside, and we have a bowl of chili to warm up...a great ending to the Thanksgiving weekend!