GREEK CHILI

The Journey of the recipe:
My mother-in-love made this chili many years ago for a Christmas Eve dinner...and I fell in love with it. I adopted this recipe into our traditions of making it for Christmas Eve dinner served with some of Ric's homemade bread! It is a family favorite.
It is hearty, healthy, and a warm up those toes kind of meal---perfect for a cold Christmas Eve!

This is one of those recipes that was found in a magazine, clipped out the recipe, and have yet to remember which magazine it came from....so in our home for many years, I have the recipe written on a stained 3x5 card.

Note: I have made this recipe following the exact recipe and I have also altered it to be vegetarian (because my DH is a veggie-nut) and I really love it both ways. For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add an extra can of beans -- or you can add a veggie meat substitute if preferred-- we like without.
This recipe can also be adapted to be made in the crockpot and doubled if needed for larger crowds!

GREEK CHILI
(recipe as written from that cutout piece of magazine)

1 pound of ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained
1 can (14 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives, drained
Crumbled feta cheese to taste

1. If the meat is frozen, microwave it 2 minutes, uncovered on high, to defrost slightly. Meanwhile, in a 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil on medium. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Stir occasionally.

2. Add turkey to pot, raise heat to high and stir from time to time. Turn the partially frozen block over frequently, add garlic powder, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper.

3. Add tomatoes with juice, garbanzo beans, olives & chopped artichokes. Stir well.

4. Cook on high til meat is thoroughly cooked. Cook on medium for 5 minutes.

Garnish with feta cheese.