turkey chili

Most popular chili is usually made with ground beef, i don't eat beef, so i really don't know how it tastes, but my variation is turkey and much healthier version than beef with out a doubt! i spice up little to my taste and preparation time is a snap but cooking time, well you don't have to stand there and look at it while it is simmering for 2 hours, take a quick nap! or watch movie, read a book, you could dust the entire house, write a blog, meditation, or admire the sun peeking 
in and out in a snowy day:)

what ever you do just do me a favor, gently stir it every half an hour and enjoy!

you need these:

• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken or kheema(ground goat)
• salt
• 1Tbsp chili powder (more if you insist)
• 1Tbsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (if you don't have this handy add garlic clove crushed in a mortar)
• 4 or 5 hot green chilies cut length wise
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 cups of tomato, diced
• 15oz can of beans any kind is fine (kidney beans, chili beans, pinto beans- i used pinto beans)
• 8oz can tomato sauce
• fistful of basil dice in to small 

in a wide deep pan add 1sp oil, ground turkey, salt, chili powder, cumin- garlic powders, stirring constantly cook until turkey is brown in color then remove in to a dish and set it aside.

in the same pan add 1sp oil and cook onion, green chili, garlic, let onion soften then add tomato, cook really well, and mash them with back of the spoon, return turkey back, beans from the can along with can water, tomato sauce, basil, 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. reduce heat to simmer and let it cook for 2 hours. stirring occasionally.

adjust seasoning 

serve in a soup bowl along with crusty loaf of bread.

{pictures taken by me}

cold weather cravings

weather is really cold,  snowing out side and i am digging in the pantries and fridge for special ingredients to satisfy my cold weather cravings. i always store them in my pantry because you NEVER know, when your heart suddenly want to enjoy the weather and ambiance of your own backyard with bhel puri. so for now i just pretend like road side vendor and mix the ingredients like pro, make some tea and enjoy the snow.

                                          THERE is no use of COMPLAINING WEATHER 

                                                        when it is gorgeous outside                

                                                FIND THE WAY HOW TO ENJOY IT:)

when you are mixing bhel puri ingredients together you have to be careful since the juicy veggies and sauces make puffed rice soggy, so add the crunchy stuff just before you eat or before serve.

Ingredients:

•   puffed rice-2cups

•  boondi -1/4 cup

•  sev -1/4 cup

• crunchy papdi - crush them by hand and take fistful

• cooked potato - 1/4 cup diced in to small cubes (optional) 

• finely chopped red onion- 1/2 small onion 

• cucumber- diced in to small pieces (optional)
  

• tomato - 1 Roma tomato  or any one you have, dice it.

• green chillies- 2 chopped chillies or add more if you want more spicy
  

•  grated carrot- little bit (optional)

• coriander chop in to small - fist ful

• tamarind chutney, green chutney,chilli powder, chaat masala- 1 tsp each or more if you want

                               salt, you don't need it since chutneys, boondi, sev, had plenty of it.
                             even thought you stubbornly wanted more salt just go ahead and add;)
                                                   mix all of them together...find a good corner
                                                               with a window view and .........

                                                           ....................enjoy !!

that's my backyard 
lake is frozen and goose are ice skating :)
enjoy good music or a poem

Snow in the Air by Raymond A. Foss
Snow in the air
long before the first flakes
started their long fall from the heavens
snow in the feel, the smell,
the texture of the air
feeling the falling barometer
the shift in the weather
Falling lightly at first, while
I stood at the sink,
mesmerized, watching
their dance downward
Go upstairs, roust the girls,
hear the excitement, the joy
at the first real snowfall
Accumulating white, flake by flake
on the ground, the cars,
still quiet snow, light and airy
a film of white, cell by cell
cleaning the world
in white

all images taken by ME