Mellow Chili Soup with vegetables, wild rice, beans and turkey

Marina loved this hearty fall soup, and so did we! If you like your chili spicy, add some cayenne powder (very warming this time of the year, or chili powder) Here is what I used, cooked in a 5 quart soup pan:

• 4 quarts of chicken stock (make your own for best results by cooking used whole chicken bones in 4-5 quarts of water for 3+ hours with rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and celery, carrots)

• 1 pound ground turkey, formed in to small balls

• 2- 12 oz can of black beans

• 2 cups dry (soak for 8 hours/overnight) black eyed peas

• 1-32 oz can of fire-roasted chopped tomatoes

• 2 cups wild rice

• 1- 12 oz can of corn (or 3 -4 fresh ears of corn, cut from cob)

• 5 sticks of celery, chopped

• 4 carrots, chopped

• 1 large onion chopped

• 5 cloves of garlic, pressed through a garlic press

• sprigs of rosemary, thyme, 2 bay leaves

• salt to taste

• chili powder (spicy) or cayenne (optional) spice to taste, a little goes a long way

• 3 TBS soy sauce

Begin by making your chicken soup stock and cooking the chicken, 4 quarts of water, 1 tsp salt and sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves for 2 hours at a gentle boil/simmer with the pan lid on. Cut out this step if you already have chicken stock.
After two hours of cooking the chicken at a gentle boil, add the previously soaked black eyed peas. After an hour (black eyed peas should be soft) strain out the bones and add the 2 cups wild rice and 32 oz canned tomatoes. Cook for another 1/2 hour and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, soy sauce, chili powder or cayenne (optional) and turkey (formed into balls). Cook for another 1/2 hour and add the canned black beans and the canned corn.

Serve with a baguette or a crusty bread. Also good with a green salad.