This chili recipe comes from my friend Lauren, who is not only a great photographer but also an excellent cook. I’m convinced that this recipe may just be the perfect weeknight meal. There’s minimal prep: cut an onion, mince some garlic and open a few cans. There are minimal dishes: a pot, a cutting board, an immersion blender and a few utensils. It’s largely hands off: about 10-15 minutes of hands-on cooking before you simmer for a half hour. And most importantly, it tastes good and is relatively healthy if you opt for lean turkey instead of beef. For all the non-meat eaters, it’s also great if you nix the turkey or beef altogether, and serve with a side of corn bread.

As a bonus, it’s the perfect comfort food for escaping chilly February weather with your Valentine, especially when you put it in these cute heart-shaped ramekins from World Market. While I did make this for my Valentine, it was as a mock Valentine’s Day dinner a few weeks ago, staged to get some placeholder shots for a Valentine’s Day recipe book template for work. If you want to put together your own recipe booklet, visit the MagCloud Blog to download the template and learn more about getting it printed.

Warm-The-Heart Chili
from Lauren | serves 6-8

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1.5 lbs ground turkey or ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz cans RO*TEL diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can pinto beans
3 Tbsp chili powder
Salt and pepper
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat, then add the diced onions and cook until clear. Add the ground turkey or beef to the onions and continue cooking until no longer pink, stirring as needed. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Using an immersion blender, blend half of the onion, meat and garlic mixture. Add the three cans of tomatoes, the two cans of beans, and the chili powder, then stir to combine. Bring your chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, and top with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to serve.