Busy individuals sometimes think they have to skimp on home-cooked meals because there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to prepare something fresh. While the drive-through lane of the nearest fast-food establishment can be tempting, rest assured there are many dishes that can be whipped up in a flash.
“Mise en place” is a French culinary term used to describe setting up ingredients in advance or “putting them in place.” Dicing, chopping and getting ingredients ready in the morning or the night before can make it easier to throw everything together when it comes time to cook. A recipe that also doesn’t have a long cook time, like this one for “Turkey and Bean Chili” from “Cooking Light: Dinner’s Ready” (Oxmoor House), by the Cooking Light Editors, also can help.
Turkey and Bean Chili
Makes 6 servings
1 cup chopped red onion
1⁄3 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
11⁄4 pounds ground turkey
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14-ounce can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 lime wedges
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the first four ingredients; cook 6 minutes or until the turkey is done, stirring frequently to crumble. Stir in the chili powder and the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
