3-Alarm Turkey and Mushroom Chili Recipe

Don't know what to do with all that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? Tired of turkey sandwiches for days until you end up throwing out unused turkey that went bad? If so, then this recipe is for you. I made this shortly after Thanksgiving this year with all our leftover turkey and it came out amazing.

I experimented a little from my Habanero Chili From Hell Recipe and decided to kick it up a notch. I also wanted to make a chili that was more healthy because my other recipe is not one for someone watching their weight after consuming lots of food during the holidays. What better way than to use turkey instead of 2.5 lbs of greasy pork and beef! Lastly, I wanted to make it sweeter, so a dab of brown sugar did the trick.

* 2 lbs cooked turkey
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
* 2 (16 ounce) dark red kidney beans
* 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
* 2 cups water
* 2 green bell peppers, diced
* 1 white onion, sliced large
* 10 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
* 10 habanero peppers, chopped fine
* 5 bhut jolokia ghost peppers, chopped fine
* 1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 teaspoons black pepper

Since the meat is already cooked, the prep time for this chili is very quick. Combine all the ingredients together in a slow cooker. Stir well, making sure all spices, salt and sugar blend/dissolve in the liquid. Slow cook on high for at least 3 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes. You can cook longer on a lower temp, depending on your slow cooker. Chili is done once whole tomatoes have become so tender that they are falling apart.

Tips:
I highly recommend using smoked turkey but any kind will do. The sugar is optional if you don't like sweet. If you want it milder, use less chili peppers. I like to cut my whole tomatoes in half after they have cooked for a while so they become tender quicker. The longer it cooks in the slow cooker, the better it tastes!

The Ghostly Dog

Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
http://www.ashleyfoods.com

I purchased a bunch of various sauces a few months ago and nearly forgot that the package included Mad Dog's Ghost Pepper sauce. I am a big fan of the regular 357 hot sauce and noticed a long time ago that they extended their line of sauces to include ghost pepper blends. I took a mental note to get a bottle of their regular ghost pepper sauce and placed it within the large order. Fast forward 3 months: I opened up my pantry the other day and, with surprise, noticed this bottle with skulls staring at me. Seeing how I forgot about it, it was like an early Christmas present! To waste no more time, I cooked a chicken sandwich and dripped a few drops of this ghost pepper hot sauce on top then took a seat.

The first bite and it took my breath away. I took another and got a good bit of sauce. The flavor hit me, which I wasn't a fan of. The pepper extract in the sauce made it very strong, almost sour tasting. Despite the flavor, I continued, and then the heat hit me. I got hiccups that temporarily prevented me from continuing. I was finally able to control them and finish the sandwich. I was sweating pretty well at this point and was glad to be done with the experiment.

Overall, I think it was a wise purchase and plan on using this sauce to blend in chili and other foods. Like its older brother, regular 357, it did not make a good topping and needs to be used as something to add heat, not flavor. They do make a "pure" ghost pepper sauce that does not use extracts. I plan on purchasing a bottle of this upon my next order and will review that once I burn my mouth on another great Mad Dog product!

Hell Raising

The Hot Spot Wings Cafe - Bartlett, TN
http://www.thswingcafe.com

I see hot wing establishments on every corner in Memphis these days. Most of them are all the same and neither worth the money nor blogging about. I never make that assumption before checking them out at least once, however, because you just never know. I have been meaning to try a newer place in my neck of the woods on Stage Road in Bartlett called "The Hot Spot". I've seen it several times and kept it in the back of my mind until a recent email came in from a BMM fan. He suggested that I go and try this very place out because they have, what he considers, the hottest wings in Memphis. Intriguing, I thought, so I found my way there last week.

I found an ad for The Hot Spot in a local coupon magazine that is mailed out monthly in Bartlett. It advertised a "1st and 10 for 5”. This consists of 10 party wings for 5 bucks. I don't know of any other place in Memphis that has wings available for that cheap so I used this as further motivation to see if they could burn my mouth. I found the menu on their website which lists all the available sauces. I noticed a flavor called "Hell Raiser" and assumed this was their hottest kind. I called to verify this and then placed my order for pick-up which was ready in 10-15 minutes. Luckily I live nearby.

As I walked in, I took in the establishment which I found to have a decent-sized dining area. The register and kitchen area are in the back. Close to the register is a long table to place ready orders and above this I noticed a drive-thru window. I also noticed their hours of operation and they are open from lunch until midnight. This along with the drive-thru window and cheap prices are all things I never see in other wing joints. I talked with the owners while my order was being boxed up, telling them about this blog and my crave for hot food. They explained that some people find these wings to be too hot, while others say they could be hotter. I was hoping that I wouldn't find them to be the latter. As I got home and got busy with consumption, I quickly realized that I would not be.

The heat from the sauce hit me almost instantly. 2 wings in and I was sweating. I tasted pepper extract in the sauce and noticed pepper flakes throughout. This hurt the flavor of the sauce a little but it sure did heat it up. The wings themselves weren't crispy but rather a tad on the soggy side. Not a show-stopper as I continued to devour the 10-piece and sweat. After the 10th wing, my mouth was actually on fire. I cooled it off with an ice cube and from a few miles away, applauded The Hot Spot for burning my mouth! If you're in the area and in the mood for some great wings, even late at night, go raise some hell at The Hot Spot!