JULIE WELLS: No-bean chili an alternative for those not fond of legumes

Nobody cooks like mama cooks, that is for sure. In my case, no one can cook like my mother-in-law, Janie Wells.

This isn’t the first of Janie’s recipes I’ve run in my recipe column, and it surely won’t be the last.

A few years ago I ran a recipe called “Fire and Ice Chili.” It wasn’t your conventional bowl of chili, to say the least. My husband loves chili, but he doesn’t like beans in his chili. Although I’m getting used to the idea of not having beans in my chili, I’m still in shock when I discover someone else close to me doesn’t like beans in their chili either.

My father-in-law, George, he’s not a fan of beans in his chili. And just this week, I found out my cube-mate at work, Aimee Jones, is not a bean eater, either.

So, for all of you who don’t like beans in your chili, or if you just want a deliciously rich and hearty bowl of chili, you’ll want to try out this recipe.

Janie had an assortment of toppings to go along with the chili, like shredded cheese, corn chips, sour cream — and they were all great toppings. But to be honest, just the chili itself was perfection.

Autumn officially begins on Monday, so it is time to break out those slow cookers and start stirring up some warm soups. If you’ve got a fall recipe you’d like to share, email it to [email protected].

Julie Wells writes a weekly recipe column for the Rockdale Citizen.

No-bean chili

What you need:

2 pounds of ground turkey

3 cans of petite diced tomatoes

1 cup of chopped onion

1/2 cup of green pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon of chili powder

Two packages of McCormick chili mix

1/2 cup of ketchup

1 teaspoon of sugar

What you do:

Brown ground turkey and drain.

Mix tomatoes, onions, pepper, with the seasonings and add the drained ground turkey.

Cook together and let simmer at least 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with grated cheese and other sides as you choose.