Chili Cause it's Chilly

Okay, so some of you have been to the house and eaten what I would call chili from heaven. Seriously, it's just delish. It is a recipe I have adapted from my mother's recipe who, I think, did the same thing with her mother's recipe.
If you are looking for a protein packed meal to stick to your ribs and make you feel snugly from the inside out, this is it. And cheap-did I mention my love for cheap meals?

You will need

1 pound of ground turkey (of course sub any or no meat)
1 small onion, diced small
about 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large can of tomato sauce (or cook and squeeze those suckers yourself)
your favorite variety of beans (I usually choose the organic variety of black, navy, and kidney. You can choose one or even none. You decide.)
1 tsp. white vinegar (any vinegar will really do)
2 diced garlic cloves
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
about 2Tablespoons chili powder
1 small can diced tomatoes if you choose (this makes it all a little too sweet for me, but it's a good filler)
Beef broth to bulk it up (if we have extra guests or are running low on food supplies, I add beef broth to bulk up the amount of food.)
1 small dash of cinnamon (trust it. just trust it.)
(optional) small, cooked, pasta noodles- about 1 1/2 cups

You will need to

Heat large pan over medium high heat. I use a 4 quart cast iron pot because it makes me happy. It's green, so the happiness is natural.
Heat olive oil, garlic, and onions until onions get slightly clear- about 2-3 minutes.
Add meat and brown until cooked fully. Obviously, if you are leaving the meat out, you skip this step. There is no need to stand at the stove pretending to stir the meat.
(At this point, some of you may want to drain your meat. With turkey, I never find it necessary.)
Add drained beans and seasonings. Stir and cook for about five minutes.
Add broth as you deglaze the bottom of the pan.

(Deglazing means you put a smidgen of liquid in the bottom of the pan and use a wooden or other type of spoon to scrape of the good stuff stuck to the bottom. You know, the food you sometimes want to lick off the bottom of the pan, but don't because they frown on it. This is the loop hole. DEGLAZE!)

Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, and anything you have forgotten to add along the way. WAIT to add cooked pasta until you are nearly ready to serve as the juice gets sucked up in the noodles, and that makes for soggy pasta.
My husband likes to add crazy things like vegetables. It all seems to taste the same, so if you are looking for a way to add the greens, look for vegetables that can hold up in the liquid. If you use zucchini, for instance, be sure to cut the pieces small and add them late in the game.
Simmer on low for at least thirty minutes. (Honestly you can cut that time down, but the beans need time to heat up and cook properly to be super yum.)
Serve with salad, bread, and your favorite toppings. I prefer diced onions, grated cheese, and a dallop of sour cream. yum.