Santa Fe Stew

A deliciously filling, warm meal for a cold winter night, Santa Fe stew is my mom's recipe. Apparently, she bought it for 25 cents at a Christmas festival before I was born, so it's fitting to post it just a few days after Christmas. It's a one-pot wonder, and the beans have enough protein that it could be served vegetarian/vegan with some extra vegetables.

I have a lot of memories of warming up over this meal. One time, a cousin served us this stew, was surprised that we knew it. I have edited this recipe a lot, but I have a lot of respect for the original recipe I grew up with, which I managed to find online here (although my original says stewed tomatoes, not diced, and has no turkey option).

I use extra-lean ground turkey and make my own seasoning blends. I also have recently started swapping out the canned beans for dried and buy jarred tomato paste, both because of BPA in canned foods, but I know soaking is a pain, so you can find a list of canned goods that are BPA-free here. To supplement the tomato paste, I added water, and since Tessa doesn't like corn, I use green beans, carrots, or whatever I happen to have on hand instead.

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 package taco seasoning mix (or make your own, but add slowly, taste, and re-season!)
1 package ranch dressing mix (or make your own)
3 cups black, pinto, and/or kidney beans, soaked and drained (1 cup dry, or 3 15-oz. cans)
1 8 oz. jar tomato paste

1 1/2 cups water, (you may need more)

1 cup corn or vegetable of your choice

1. Brown the meat and onion together in a dutch oven, then drain away excess grease.

2. Add the two dry seasoning mixes and stir until mixed thoroughly. 

3. Add all other ingredients, stir, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until beans are tender.

4. Optional: garnish with hand-grated cheddar cheese or tortilla chips.

Serves six.

Waaaarm.