All-American Chili I

Ingredients

 * 6 ounces hot sweet Italian turkey sausages
 * 2 cups chopped onion
 * 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
 * 8 cloves garlic, minced
 * 1 lb ground sirloin
 * 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
 * 2 tablespoons chili powder
 * 2 tablespoons brown sugar
 * 1 tablespoon ground cumin
 * 3 tablespoons tomato paste
 * 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 * ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
 * ¼ teaspoon salt
 * 2 bay leaves
 * 1¼ cups merlot or other fruity red wine
 * 2 (28 ounces) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
 * 2 (15 ounces) cans kidney beans, drained
 * ½ cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

 * 1) Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
 * 2) Remove casings from sausage.
 * 3) Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients to pan; cook 8 minutes.
 * 4) Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves)
 * 5) Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil.
 * 6) Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
 * 7) Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 * 8) Discard the bay leaves.
 * 9) Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.