Day 12 - Turkey Chili Soup

Yesterday, if you recall, I briefly mentioned something about broiling cashews being very, very bad. Well I will recount the tail for your amusement. This story is filed under the "only Krystal" category by my friends. I am still uncertain if this category is something to be proud of, the old adage -are they laughing with you? or at you? - comes to mind.

It was last summer and I was making a Thai chicken salad, and I needed some roasted cashews. So, not really thinking about it, I put cashews in the oven and broiled them. They were in the oven for at most 4 minutes before I saw black smoke pouring from the cracks of the oven. I looked into to see flames leaping from my cashews. Lots of expletives escaped my mouth. I didn't know what to do. I didn't have a fire extinguisher, and I didn't know the number for our front desk. At that very moment my ever-reliable husband was in the basement of our apartment taking out the laundry, so I was on my own.

I ran into our hallway knocking on peoples' doors trying to find out if they knew the front desk number or had a fire extinguisher. Of course now would be a good time to point out I was in my bathing suit running around like a mad woman -I had just come back from the swimming pool. Smoke and particles were everywhere in the apartment, and they had started to fill the hallway. Finally, someone came out of their apartment and said they would go to the front desk. I decided to call the fire department anyways. I remember thinking those suckers can really burn. Now I know if I am ever lost in the woods, I will just set my trail mix on fire.

So, the fire department showed up after the cashews were already charcoal, and I was understandably mortified. I was mad at myself for being an idiot, mad because Darien wasn't there to help me, and mad at my useless dog, who didn't make a peep when I was running around the apartment saying oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!

Moral of the story? Never broil cashews, and if you are going to call the fire department, at least reward them with your bikini, and not your ratty old one-piece.

Well enough about me, back to the soup project. Having a ton of turkey leftover in our fridge, I was searching for another soup to use it in. The food inspector in me knew that the food safety clock was ticking, and the turkey had already been in my fridge for 96 hours. In two more days it will be more deadly than handling plutonium -yes, that is a slight exaggeration. But kidding aside, food poisoning is not fun, and can sometimes be deadly.

I found a recipe for Turkey White Chili on a website called Simply Recipes and thought that would make a great soup.

Turkey Chili Soup
Source:Simply Recipes, Elise

1 can of white beans, drained but not rinsed
3 cups turkey stock
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onions, chopped (divided)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stem and most seeds removed, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies ( I omitted this because I didn't have any)
2 cups diced cooked turkey
Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)

Directions

Bring turkey stock to a boil. Mean while fry garlic and onions for a few minutes and then add the diced chili pepper. Add turkey to stock when boiling, and white beans, and onion mixture along with herbs and spices. Let simmer 10 minutes.
Serve topped with grated cheese. Garnish with cilantro, chopped fresh tomato, salsa, chopped green onions, and/or avocados. Serve with fresh warmed flour tortillas or tortilla chips.