Chipotle Chili with a Surprise

Halloween is almost here. Some of you may have already had Halloween parties, some of you may have them coming. Some of you may just be getting ready for actual Halloween. To me nothing says Halloween party or Halloween dinner like soup or chili. It is something that warms ya up and gets the kiddos all toasty and ready to go.

Tonight we go Trick or Treating...that's right. Our community always picks the Thursday before if Halloween falls on a weekend night. So tonight all my Little Men will get their costumes on and run the neighborhood in a frenzie loading up on the good stuff.

Buzz and Woody have already had their debuts at our church party, but alas I was one of the adults in charge so I got absolutely NO pictures. This is the best picture I have so far...but tonight the boys are going to be forced to do a photo session with their loving mother (yes they will love it can you sense my sarcasm).

So that means you get the complete photo run down of our families Toy Story Halloween tomorrow.

Yes, I bet you are excited.

Today, lets talk chili.

For our  church party we had a chili and chocolate cook off. Basically families could bring one or the other to be judged for prizes. As I was searching for recipes I came across this one from Best Bites...it was all in the title, I knew I had to make it.

Chipotle Chocolate Chili 
yes that is right, CHOCOLATE


1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 can beef broth
3 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not the kind for chocolate milk)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
chipotle sauce (from the can of chipotles)
1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate (1/2 of  1 oz baking square), shaved.
3-4 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar

sour cream
cheese
green onions

Heat some olive oil in a large soup pot over med heat. Saute onions, garlic, red pepper, and turkey until turkey is cooked through, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, beans, and beef broth. Add all of the sauce from the can of chipotles (here I dumped the can into a strainer that I had over my soup pot. ALSO...if you don't like a lot of heat I would only put in half of the sauce).

Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened. About 30-40 minutes. If you like more heat add some chopped chipotle peppers. Here add 3 tablespoons of vinegar and a small amount of the shaved unsweetened chocolate. Do it until taste. Too much chocolate will make it taste bitter. I did use about the whole 1/2 oz and I think it tasted great. Taste as you go to get your preference.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, green onions. Whatever you chili toppings you like, throw them on top.

Thanks Best Bites for this yummy recipe. GO over to their site they are having an amazing giveaway plus they are in a Better Homes and Gardens cook off and they need your VOTES.