Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Root Vegetables

    On these cold winter days, nothing beats a slow cooking pot of chili for the smells & then the eating!! I have assembled the sweet end of the root vegetable family - garlic, sweet onion, sweet potato & parsnips - into this delicious chili. Of course, adding more heat with hot sauce or more hot peppers is always an option as is dialing the heat back with diced tomatoes sans the chilies and mild chili seasoning. The warmth of the cinnamon is my favorite spice here and you could even add a pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg if you please. It's easy to make over & over all winter & put your own twist on it. I serve with shredded sharp cheese on top but this is completely optional. I also serve with the best cornbread out of a box - Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix!!!! (see picture).

Easy Ingredients & short prep time!

  

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Root Veggies

2 packages ground turkey approx 40 oz.

One 28-oz. can tomato sauce

Two 10-oz. cans Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies

6 cloves garlic, rough chopped

1 large sweet onion - chopped into chunky pieces

1 large sweet potato -diced into 1/4"-1/2" cubes

2 medium parsnips -diced into 1/4" slices/pieces

1 chili seasoning packet (pick your heat & sodium level)

1 tsp. salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp. tomato paste

3/4 cup water

In your slow cooker empty cans of sauce, tomatoes, paste, prepped root veggies, salt, sugar, cinnamon, chili packet, water. Stir to mix & put on high. Add browned turkey (in tiny pieces - halfway thru cooking time). High 3-4 hours - Low 6-8 hours. Tip #1: Adding the turkey later keeps it from disappearing in your recipe which ground turkey tends to do. Tip #2 - Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy. Enjoy every mouth-warming spoonful!!