Ingredients for 8 servings

¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 pound ground sirloin
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ¼ cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added kidney beans, drained
2 (28-ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
8 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.