Squash chili

Lately, I've been cooking with squash the way some people cook with salt.

Gene's been a good sport about it but I do recognize that he's had to hold his tongue a few times about all the pumpkin on the menu.  Thank you for your patience, honey!

In the past two weeks we've had:

• stuffed acorn squash
• pumpkin whoopie pies (recipe coming soon)
• lasagna with squash
• squash soup
• butternut squash chili

I had been planning to make this spinach salad from Parents Need to Eat, Too but a weekend of soggy, foggy forecasts, a recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Garlic Bread, and a recent post in Feastie turned my cravings toward chili instead.

Photo: Debbie Koenig

SQUASH CHILI - Serves 6-8

I used butternut squash for this recipe.  Use whatever you have on hand. This recipe goes together quickly but needs a long simmering time.  Assemble it in the morning before work and throw it into the slow cooker.  You can buy fresh prepared butternut squash in the produce section of your grocery store to save even more time.

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 can black beans*, drained & rinsed (16 oz/pint)

2 cups chicken broth* (16oz/pint)

1 large can stewed tomatoes* (32oz/quart)

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes

4 cloves garlic

1 TBSP chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 T kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

*home-canned items from my pantry

1. Brown the beef in a large stock pot.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 2-3 hours.
4. Top with freshly ground black pepper and any other toppings that tickle your fancy: cubed avocado, sharp cheddar, green onions, cilantro, croutons.

Lunch leftovers: squash chili & mini pumpkin whoopie pies

Tonight I'm going to make pumpkin overnight oatmeal.  Do you love or hate pumpkin?