SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN CHILI and TURKEY AND WHITE BEAN CHILI and THREE BEAN BEEF CHILI

I made this delicious sweet potato and black bean chili for my Uncle, who was visiting from New Zealand last year.
I wanted to make him some of the dishes I had been introduced to in my time in the United States, and chili, in any form - chicken, turkey, beef, buffalo, is one of my favorite fall and winter comfort foods.

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chicken broth
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons orange zest
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin, then add the broth and sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is heated through and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more.
Stir in the orange zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with toppings of your choice - jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, or salsa.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Family Fun, April 2011
familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun.../familyfun-april-2011/

TURKEY AND WHITE BEAN CHILI

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt
1 pound ground turkey
4 cups chicken broth
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white hominy, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons cornmeal

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high. Add onion, cook until softened, 8 minutes. Add garlic, chiles, rosemary, cumin, oregano and cayenne and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes, season with salt. Add turkey and cook, about 5 minutes. Add broth, beans and hominy, bring to a boil over high. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chili is thickened slightly, 25 minutes.
Stir in cornmeal and cook 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine
www.marthastewart.com/cook‎

THREE BEAN BEEF CHILI

1/2 pound ground beef or turkey
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can great Northern beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Cook beef or turkey in a large saucepan on medium high heat, for 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.
Add to a slow cooker with all remaining ingredients, stir. Cover with lid and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Family, Fall 2010
www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/‎

GRILLED SHRIMP AVOCADO BOATS

I recently read a fascinating article on comfort food, and consequently during a lunch with well-read friends, over our Grilled Shrimp and Avocado, our conversation flowed to that very subject. A common thread throughout both discussions was that comfort food, a term first used in 1977, and defined as "food prepared in a traditional style, having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal"(www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comfort%20food‎) is an individual preference, and predominantly determined by childhood experiences. The formative encounters, perhaps being the most powerful, and having a greater impact than experiences later in life. So if you grew up eating and enjoying meatloaf, pumpkin soup, pierogi or spotted dick, that is the food you will most likely turn to when you are seeking to soothe yourself through food. Which of course makes me worry what my children will desire, as I barely ever make the same thing twice.
Interestingly, studies of American preferences show males and females differed in reasons for choosing comfort food and the types they chose. Men preferred warm, hearty, meal-type fare, generally triggered by positive emotions, whereas women, choosing snack type foods such as chocolate and ice cream, tend to gravitate toward those foods when they are experiencing negative emotions.
Food consumed as a response to emotional stress or in order to increase positive feelings, may be a key contributor to the obesity epidemic, currently facing many parts of the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_food#Russia)
A hotel I stayed in recently, advertised a "Comfort Food Night", alongside their "Managers Toast Night" and "BBQ" night. Their comfort offerings were a baked potato, cheese burger and a salad.
Whatever your comfort food may be, please indulge responsibly.

GRILLED SHRIMP AVOCADO BOATS

Peel one pound of jumbo shrimp, leaving tails on.
Marinate in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh dill, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Cut 2 avocados in half and twist to separate. Remove pits. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, salt and lemon juice. Cover, set aside.
Drain shrimp. Swirl a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, cook shrimp for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Arrange avocado halves on arugula. Fill avocados with shrimp.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, August 2005
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎