All-American Chili I

All American Chili II

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.