Black Bean, Corn, and Turkey Chili

Need a recipe in this cold weather that warms you from the inside out? My go-to is this black bean, corn, and turkey chili. It's easy to make, healthy, and tastes even better the next day. Sprinkle it was some cheddar cheese, add a dollop of sour cream, and serve it with a side of tortilla chips (for dipping), and you're good to go. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (about 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder. Cook until the turkey is well browned, stirring often to separate meat.
2. Stir the stock, salsa, sugar, beans and corn in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

A Merry Little Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone, but it was a merry one that we'll always remember. We completely Christmased out this year: Constant Christmas music in the house and car, multiple drives to see the Christmas lights at night, hot chocolate and coffee trips, Christmas movies galore, lots of family time, and a house full of lights, candles, and decorations. I'm pretty sure Aiden had a nice Christmas morning, too, if you can't tell by those happy faces.

There's always a very specific moment when I realize the season is in full swing. When the spirit of Christmas actually seems palpable. That moment came this year as I was strolling through Fresh Market. It was bustling with happy families picking up some final goodies for their holiday feast. I quietly and slowly ambled through the aisles, soaking up every wonderful scent that filled the air: roast coffee, fragrant flowers, fresh-baked bread, apple cider, you name it. I left with some chocolate-covered pretzels, a tuscan bread, and a huge orange swirled lollipop for Aiden's stocking. But most importantly, I left with a huge smile on my face and an ever-expanding heart. It's truly the most wonderful time of the year.

Hope you and yours had a lovely holiday as well! Time for 2012.

Quite the Fairy Tale!

Last night I attended the family preview night of Raleigh Little Theatre's Cinderella for the second year in a row. Once again Ryan did an amazing job as part of the quartet (Pantelone!) and ensemble. This was the 28th annual showing of this comedic take on the classic story, and once again, my face hurt afterwards from laughing and smiling so much.

The two wicked stepsisters are played by two gentlemen, both who have starred in it for over a decade. They are the heart of comedy in this play, and I fall more in love with their characters every year. My sister Jenna escorted me to the play last night, and she just HAD to get a photo with Gertrude, the less intelligent and less graceful of the wicked stepsisters. I had the pleasure to hang out with Dennis ("Gertrude") last year at the cast party, and he was such a delight. People involved in community theatre have such a special quality about them and are addicting to be around. What a gem of a production!

Bienvenidos a Mexico!

We got back last month from a lovely trip to Mexico for my friend Tara's wedding. Our resort was located in Mexico's beautiful resort area, just south of Cancún on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Tara married a wonderful man named Tony, and we couldn't be happier for the two of them. Both the wedding and the trip was fabulous. The resort was GORGEOUS... and massive. To put it simply, everything was so grand! Neverending pools (and sunken-in-the-pool bars), tons of restaurants, and a white sand/crystal clear beach. It was paradise. The all-inclusive thing was too freaking cool--there were restaurant bars and cabana bars everywhere, buffets for any meal, six sit-down restaurants, you name it. We'd get up at 8, head down to the pool for a bloody mary or mimosa, and then hang out there all day. There were fun activities going on all day too, right at the pools: We salsa danced, held a monkey (photo to come), and did water aerobics. Just to name a few.

The ceremony was on our last day there, right before the sun started to set. I boo-hooed the whole time. Then we had a cocktail hour/dancing in a big gazebo in the middle of one of the pools (it was dark at this point, and all the white lights were on), followed by a wonderful dinner at the resort's steakhouse restaurant. After the flight home the next day (I woke up at 3:20 IN THE MORNING), we had to run home, change, and get up to Maggiano's for the in-town reception. Again, such a blast, but what a whirlwind! Tara looked gorgeous (no surprise there), and it was just a really fun trip to go on with the best of friends.

Tara walking with her dad down the "aisle."

The newlyweds

I've never experienced such amazing customer service as we had in Mexico. All those rumors and warnings we heard before traveling there were immediately dispelled. The only problem I had was trying to stop from saying "hola!" and "gracias!" to people when we got back to the States. :)

Happy December!

I've had a grumpy start to December (work is insane!). However, anything Charlie Brown still reminds me of this lovely month full of holiday cheer, so here's a tribute to my mixed bag of emotions right now.