White Bean-Turkey Chili with Corn Bread Dumplings

Thanks to this blog, my penchant for recipe collecting has gone from a hobby to a slight obsession.  For every novel I read, I also read a cookbook.  But honestly, not everything I cook is something new and "fun to try out for the blog".  There are recipes that have been cooked many times for my family and friends that I haven't blasted out into the world.  Um, yet.

This is one of them.  I can't remember where it comes from, but boy, do I love it.  Chili and cornbread are like wine and cheese, like salt and pepper, like Ben and Jerry.  Two things that are just right together.  So to add the element of surprise by cooking the cornbread as dumplings just makes it that much better.  Plus, it's ridiculously easy and fast.

White Bean-Turkey Chili with Corn Bread Dumplings

1 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 16-oz jar chunky salsa
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 8.5-oz package corn bread mix
1 egg
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Slivered green onions (optional)

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add turkey and cook until browned.  When cooked, drain and add to a dutch oven along with salsa, beans, chili powder, cumin, and 2/3 cup of water.  Bring to boiling.

2.  Meanwhile, for dumplings, in a medium bowl mix corn bread mix, egg and 1/4 cup water.  Drop batter by large spoonfuls on boiling turkey chili.

3.  Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean.  To serve, top chili with cheese and green onion.

The Verdict:  Everybody loves it.

There's not much to add to what I said above.  It cooks quickly; dinner is on the table in less than 30 minutes.  Find a salsa that you really like to use with this recipe as the better the salsa, the better the chili.  And add as much spice as you choose.  I probably put more like a tablespoon of both chili powder and cumin, but you might want to start off conservatively and adjust to your tastes.

A quick note on the dumplings: In case you can't think outside the box like I couldn't the first time I made this recipe, ignore the package direction.  You're going to blend the mix, one egg and the water.  That's it.  I must have stood in my kitchen for five minutes wondering if I were adding an additional egg, did I need the butter?, etc.  Thankfully, I figured it out and avoided disaster. 

This is not the bean and pinto chili I posted about a while back.  That was chili.  Chili will hold a different meaning to me forever after making that.  However, this stuff is great.  Keep the ingredients on hand, and in less than 30 minutes, you've got yourself a great dinner.