October With A Spoon

Don't be frightened. Don't be skeptical. There is pumpkin in this chili and it's good. That, and it's easy enough to put together on a weeknight, but also such a fun project that you'll want to make it on a weekend. And did I mention how incredibly autumnal, how amazingly seasonal it is? And how it's perfect for Halloween? And how children will eat it? And how you can freeze it? And how you can serve it to your traditionalist friends who will just think it's so delicious because once they taste it, they will forget all about the presence of fruit and lamb? This chili really benefits from the creaminess of the pumpkin -- it instantly adds texture and thickness that you can typically only get from the refrigeration process, and we all know that you're going to eat this well before it goes into the fridge! 

I like to top this chili with sour cream and cilantro, and serve with either crackers, tortilla chips, or a grilled cheese -- specifically a brie and pear grilled cheese, although any kind of grilled cheese is the perfect grilled cheese. If the pumpkin pie spice in the chili makes you nervous, then don't worry! You can leave it out and just make the chili with the canned pumpkin to start with. I also love this chili with ras el hanout, which is an incredible, surprisingly versatile Moroccan spice blend. Now off you go! Make this chili, call in your bear cubs, and feed them all!

PUMPKIN CHILI
1 pound ground lamb (you could also use beef or turkey!)
1 large onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans or pinto beans, drained
1 (16-ounce) can chili beans
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

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In a large dutch oven or soup pot, sauté the onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until the onions are to your liking -- I tend to cook onions for a quite awhile because I love the caramelized onion flair in EVERYTHING. If onions stick to the pot, add water in small amounts and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the meat and brown it, chopping it up with a metal spatula as much as you can as it cooks. Add the spices and stir until meat is coated and spices are fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and stir well to mix. Cook, simmering, until chili thickens to your liking.