Monday, October 31, 2011

slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili


Fall is my absolute favorite season.  There are so many reasons to love fall.  Was I the only one who got super excited about buying back to school supplies?  There was nothing like a fresh notebook, new crayons and folders with hello kitty plastered all over them.  New school supplies, back to school clothes, tennis season, colorful leaves, chilly nights, football games, hot apple cider and of course Halloween and Thanksgiving.  I have always had a love hate with Halloween.  My birthday is the day after so, when I was younger the celebrating part of my birthday always got lumped with a costume party.  Now I love that my birthday can easily get lost in the shuffle of Halloween and I can pseudo celebrate with friends and family on Halloween.  One thing that has remained true over the years is my absolute freakish love of all things pumpkin and candy corns.  In honor of my birthday I am dedicating this week to all recipes pumpkin.  My family doesn't love the pumpkin like I do but, it is my birthday and I will cook with pumpkin if I want to and they will eat because they won't want to see me cry on my birthday.  That is just mean.


I have been anxious to try out some new recipes in my new slow cooker.  Pumpkin chili seemed like a perfect fit.  I was a little skeptical that the pumpkin flavor and the tomatoes would clash but, the pumpkin is subtle and really acts more as a thickener then a bold flavor.  We all really enjoyed this chili and I know it will be on our tables for many fall seasons to come.


slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili
 
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped 
1 lb of ground beef
salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pumpkin (15oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (28oz) 



Cook onion, green bell pepper and ground beef until onion is tender and the beef is done. Season with salt and pepper.
 

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add spices (chili powder - cumin) and mix thoroughly to release the flavors approximately one more minute.
 

Place meat, onion, garlic mixture into a slow cooker.
 

Add remaining ingredients.
 

Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
 

Top with sour cream and cheese.  Serve and enjoy.

12 comments:

That Girl said...

Happy Birthday!
My husband was adamant about making sure our little guy showed up in October, because a September baby isn't a "Halloween baby." But we also tried to plan it so the baby wouldn't share a birthday with any major holiday, because that can definitely be rough growing up.

Cooking Gallery said...

I have never added pumpkins to my chili, what a wonderful idea!

Candy said...

Happy Birthday! I always loved shopping for school supplies, and actually still do!

This chili looks fantastic!

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Chili is so good this time of year. Adding pumpkin is a great idea.

chewingthefat said...

Thank you so much for commenting on my blog!

I really need to try pumpkin chili! I love sweetness in savory foods, but I have to admit I'm not quite adventurous enough to try chocolate or some of the really eccentric chili ingredients some people throw in. Pumpkin sounds perfect--and what is also so perfect about pumpkin is that it straddles both the savory and the sweet camps.

Michael said...

Looks great! I love my slow cooker.

Kitchen Belleicious said...

I love chili and the idea of adding in the wonderful aroma and spice of pumpkin is a great idea- wish I would have thought of that! What a beautiful picture of it too!

Kitchen Belleicious said...

Oh and I meant to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a beautiful amazing woman inside and out! Hope you had a great day- sorry I am late getting here

Anonymous said...

Fall and pumpkin are some of my favorites as well. Perfect meal for these chilly nights. Happy birthday!!! Hope you had a great one, you deserve it. x

sportsglutton said...

As you were, I'm totally skeptical of pumpkin in chili. That said I'm always game for trying something new and allowing my palate to make new friends. :-) I think I wont tell my wife what I'm making and see how she reacts.

BTW...a belated Happy Birthday!

Erin said...

This looks absolutely wonderful! Great combination of flavors.

Made in Sonoma said...

MMM...that looks perfect for a fall or winter meal!

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