Everyone knows that the best way to keep vampires at bay is with a healthy dose of garlic. This easy recipe for a subtly spicy turkey chili employs an entire bulb - about 15 cloves - and should handle the most determined of throat suckers.

You will need:

1 lb ground turkey
10 oz chopped white mushrooms
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomotes in their juice
1 10 oz can tomato sauce
1 large chopped onion
1 bulb of garlic, separated and peeled
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
canola oil spray
4 tbs Greek yogurt (optional topping)

1. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, separate and peel that garlic. (I've had great luck with the back-of-the-hand smashing technique. The papery skin pops right off.) Let the peeled garlic simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Spray a skillet with canola oil spray. Brown the turkey for five minutes, stirring constantly to break it into small pieces.

3. Transfer the turkey, garlic, and all the other ingredients except the yogurt to a slow cooker*. Give it a good stir and cook on low for eight hours.

4. Divide into four bowls and top each with a tablespoon of Greek yogurt. Serve with a side of tortilla chips and wear some silver jewelry just to hedge your bets!

* I make this in a slow cooker, but it can be made on the stove in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Simply adjust the cook time to 1 1/2 hours over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Serves four.

-MaryAnne LoVerme
wabisabibrooklyn.etsy.com
wabisabibrooklyn.com