Move-in Chili!

by Carrie

So I completed my cross-country drive largely uneventfully and am (mostly) moved in to my new home in Arlington, VA. I have a day-after-move tradition of making chili, which I made yesterday. I like doing it because it's easy, it doesn't require a lot of attention and it makes the house or apartment smell good and homey and like it belongs to you. You get the added benefit of having a big old pot of chili to eat for the next few days while you're arranging and organizing, so less time and money spent on eating out.

Here is my basic recipe:

Move-in Chili

total time: 1.5 hrs

hands-on time: about 30

What you'll need:

1 package of ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 can of black beans
1 28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes
1 small can of diced tomatoes with green chile (I use Rotel)
1 can of corn
1 tbsp fresh garlic
chili powder
cumin
cinnamon
salt
olive oil

1. Dice the onions and sautee them with garlic in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Once the onions are translucent, add in the ground turkey and cumin to taste (definitely a few tsps). Stir the meat, making sure the onions and meat are evenly mixed and distributed.

3. Cook for about 8 minutes. Once the meat has browned, add in both cans of tomatoes, stir, and turn up the heat. Cook for a few minutes, then add in some chili powder (again, at least a few teaspoons).

4. Let the meat, onion and tomato mixture cook for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in a teeny bit of cinnamon for sweetness and depth of flavor.

5. Drain the black beans and them add them to the chili, stir, cook for another few minutes. If it seems thick, add in half a can of water or broth.

6. Add the can of corn and stir again. Taste the chili; does it need more chili powder? More cumin? Garlic powder? Salt? Add in seasonings according to what tastes good to you.

7. Turn the heat down to low and let the chili simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is an optional step, but one I find really melds the flavors and makes the chili taste great.

Chili is easily customizable. Omit the ground turkey for a vegetarian version, or throw in a can of kidney or pinto beans for even more protein. I've also added chopped green peppers and zucchini to this recipe to make it a little bit more nutrient dense. I didn't have any beer on hand yesterday, but I usually like to add in a can of beer just after I've added the tomatoes; this keeps the chili from getting too thick and also adds some great flavor. This chili tastes great by itself, eaten with chips or served over rice. And you'll get a ton of leftovers to freeze for nights you just don't feel like cooking!

Side note: If any of you live in Arlington or surrounding areas, let me know! Where are the good restaurants and bars?

Comments

[Airlie]

I live in Arlington! I'm not sure which neighborhood you're in, but here are my favorite restaurants:

Ballston: Buzz Bakery, Rustico, Willow, and Vapiaonos

Clarendon: Harry's Tap Room, Retaurant 3, Liberty Tavern, Eventide, Latasca, Screwtop(wine bar!), Boccato (Gelato!), Circa

Courthouse/Rosslyn: Fireworks, Me Jana, Ray's Hell Burger (OMG! SO GOOD!), Ray's the Steaks

Welcome to Northern Virginia!!

[Kate]

Arlington has so many great bars and restaurants. Definitely check out Liberty Tavern (Clarendon) and, of course, Ray's The Steaks (Courthouse). Tallulah (Washington Blvd) has a great wine list, and Ragtime (Courthouse) has always been one of my favorite bars, especially on live music nights. Such a fun, young area -- enjoy!

[Moira]

Welcome to the 'hood! I agree with all of Arlie's suggestions. Also in Clarendon, Pete's Apizza is great. You also have to check out District Taco (they have a restaurant in Falls Church and a taco cart at the courthouse farmer's market).

Minh's is also great for Vietnamese. And we've got some great local blogs that review restaurants (Clarendon Culture is a good one).

[carrie]

thanks for the suggestions! we're living in ballson between arlington blvd and columbia pike...so far seen a LOT of thai restaurants, which i'm excited about.

[Kristen]

Just left Arlington after 10 years! My fav restaurants: Dogfish Head Ale House in Falls Church - amazing beer and really, really good casual food. Eventide in Clarendon. BigBuns in Ballston - great burgers! Restaurant Eve in Alexandria - pricey but our go-to special occasion spot (went there the night I got engaged). Have fun!

[Lauren]

We are in Alexandria, very close to you! You already have a lot of great suggestions here. I love the brunch at Liberty Tavern. Lost Dog Cafe at Columbia Pike and Walter Reed is a new favorite for us. Evening Star and Taqueria Poblan in Del Ray are great. Also, the Dairy Godmother in Del Ray has amazing custard!

Make sure you plan to attend Art on the Avenue the first Saturday in October, also in Del Ray. (Can you tell where we spend most of our time.) Tons of great vendors and so much fun!

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