Cozy Comfort Food

The weather around these parts has been warming up, thankfully, but the rain is sticking around.  We've had a couple of days full of clear skies, but there's a 65% chance of rain today and at this very moment, it's coming down pretty hard.  Here's my current view...

Now I'm realizing you can't even see the drops!!  HA!!!  But it's definitely coming down pretty steady.

 I don't know about y'all, but my favorite kind of rainy day meals typically involve comfort foods and soups.  Cozy food, if you will.  There's just something about snuggling up on the couch with a big ol' blanket, Parenthood on the TV, and a bowl of soup in hand.

This is one of those "cozy" meals.  And super easy to boot!  Definitely my kind of cooking!!!

TORTELLINI & TURKEY CHILI

via Closet Cooking

1 TBSP olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 lb. ground turkey

6 cups chicken broth (or a 32 oz. box)

1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes

1 TBSP. tomato paste

1 tsp. oregano

20 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini (we used the Bertolli brand 3 cheese tortellini and added just a little less than the entire package)

Sea salt & pepper to taste

First up, dice and saute the onions in the oil.  Let 'em saute for about 5 (ish) minutes and then toss in the garlic, chili powder, paprika, & cumin.  Mix the spices with the onion and let this simmer for about 1-2 minutes...just long enough to make this little concoction nice and fragrant.

Now add the ground turkey to the onion and spices and cook until browned.  

While the turkey is cooking, let's prep the rest of the goods.  In a large stockpot, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, and oregano.  Cook at medium-high heat and once it starts to boil, add the tortellini.  By the time you add the tortellini, the turkey will be ready.  I went ahead and let my tortellini finish cooking before adding in the turkey/onion/spice mixture.  

Once all of the ingredients are combined, turn down the stove to low heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes to give all the flavors a chance to blend.  

Before serving, season your chili with a dash of sea salt and pepper (if you so desire).  Regular salt will work just fine, too.  I only had sea salt on hand and I sorta prefer it anyway.  Kevin at Closet Cooking topped his off with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, and some green onions.  YUM!!!  I wish I would've had it all on hand because I certainly would've dressed it up that way, too.

This recipe made a pretty good sized batch.  We have leftovers which I fully intend to eat as the rain falls today.  And you can bet I'll be eating it while I'm sitting on the couch and making my way through season 5 of Parenthood.  (how I managed to get this far in two weeks is beyond me...and really, really frightning.  #netflixaddiction)