Pumpkin Chili

I tried this recipe this week and both Joe and I loved it.  It came from the Salt Lake Tribune, but I have made a few minor changes to it. It is easy and tastes so good on a fall evening. Joe has been trying to cut out red meat in an effort to reduce his cholesterol levels and this chili calls for ground turkey instead of beef or pork. We also had a bumper crop of butternut squash out of our garden, so I am on the lookout for any recipes using squash. This one calls for pumpkin, but my experience is that you can use most winter squashes interchangeably in recipes. I love the butternuts as they are so easy to butcher and just the right size for using up in a day or two.

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 Cup Chopped onion
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-pound ground turkey
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I use a quart of my home canned tomatoes chopped a bit)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin- not pie filling. (I used a butternut squash that weighed about a pound that I baked, then peeled off the rind and cubed the squash.)
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce (I used my home made red sauce that I bottled in pint jars)
1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I cooked my own beans from scratch)
1 (4 oz) can of diced green chilies
1 cup of frozen corn
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add turkey. Cook until browned.
Add tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chilies, corn, and spices. Bring to a boil; reduce to low heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 min.
Serves 6