Chili is one of my favorite dishes. I love that it is filling and that it’s easy to make. It is also the perfect dish to make with all the venison in our freezer. Now that I’m breaking out the sweaters and the long sleeve running shirts, a warm bowl of chili is perfect way to end the day.
This Sweet Pumpkin Chili is the result of a mistake I made while cooking up a big pot of chili. I was pretty sure I had ruined it, but it turned out to be a hit at my house.
Sweet Pumpkin Chili
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 10
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 pounds of ground meat
- 1 can (15oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15oz) Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix
- 2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
Directions:
- Heat oil in 5 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat and add chopped onions and peppers. (When I made this the first time I did not have any bell peppers, but I like to add them as it gives you another vegetable.) Cook until tender and then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from burner.
- Cook the ground meat in a large skillet. It is helpful to work in batches cooking a pound at a time.
- While the meat is cooking, add the remaining ingredients to the dutch oven and return to medium-low heat.
- As the meat finishes cooking drain, if necessary, and add to the dutch oven. I use venison without any added fat so there is no need to drain the juices from the meat.
- Mix all the ingredients well. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to simmer and cover. Allow to simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer it cooks the more the flavorful it gets. If it seems too sweet, add a little more salt.
- Garnish with cheese, avocados, and/or sour cream.
When I made this chili, I thought I was adding in a can of plain pumpkin. I was horrified when I discovered I had use pumpkin pie mix. I increased the spices and salt and it ended up tasting great. I normally serve a sweet vegetable or a salad with fruit with chili for a contrast of flavors, but with this recipe it’s not necessary.
Make sure to leave a comment below and share how your own cooking misadventure turned out to be a winner!
