Boo!

We went to Baby Sister's house last night to take part in the Halloween fun. I even went with them to a neighborhood party with lots of wizards, zombies and space travelers. Baby Pumpkin (aka Baby Sister) loved watching all the big kids running around. She took it all in. Then Baby Pumpkin went next door for her very first "trick or treat" (her only house to visit this year.) After that we went home to hand out candy. And Mommy surprised us by having this chili ready for our supper.

This recipe is one Mommy found on a blog she enjoys reading. So glad she tried it. (As usual, it's been tweaked a bit to suit us.) It was perfect for a cold night and the pumpkin in it made a good seasonal choice. Pumpkin??? Did I really say pumpkin? Yes. Yes, I did. 

Don't freak out at the pumpkin in the recipe. Most people's first pumpkin thought is pumpkin pie with all the good sweet spices. But pumpkin by itself is not sweet or spicy. Here you won't really taste it, but it helps thicken the chili, adds some extra nutrients, and gives it a nice color. You'll just have to trust us. It works perfectly. If you've ever had White Chicken Chili and liked it, this is better. The ingredient list looks long, but it's basically just a "throw it all in the pot" kind of recipe. One that is so, so good!

Turkey, White Bean & Pumpkin Chili

PAM cooking spray

2 lb. ground turkey breast

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (from a jar)

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder (more or less, to taste)

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree (not the pie filling kind)

2 (15-oz) can great northern beans, rinsed & drained

1 (4-1/2 oz) can chopped green chiles

2 cups chicken broth

Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, minced cilantro, etc.

Heat large skillet over high heat and spray with PAM. Add turkey and cook, breaking it apart, until done, about 5 minutes. Add to Crockpot. Add oil to skillet, then onions and garlic. Saute about 3-4 minutes. Add cumin and saute another minute. Add to Crockpot.

Add beans, pumpkin puree, green chiles, chili powder, oregano, salt and bay leaves. Stir to mix. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

If you want to skip the Crockpot, make it in a large pot on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about an hour or so, stirring occasionally. 


If there hadn't been so much going on last night, Mommy said she would have made cornbread to go with this. That must mean there's going to be a next time!