Chaos Kitchen Creations: Chili With Beans and Squash
Anna shares a chili recipe with beans and squash - garnished with meat. It's not bad but now Tod wants to cook a Texas chili recipe.
As it gets colder here - well, for about 10 minutes, but we will take it - what does cold and Fall make you think of? For me, it means hot cocoa, a nice book, to enjoy the crisp air. Oh, I how I miss Fall. Still, at least I can have Fall food.
So, today I present, a staple - my homemade fall chili, squash, beans, and spice with a garnish of meat. Yes, I know I live in Texas but still eat like I am from the Pacific Northwest… When it is 82 F (28 C), I still miss the chill, the change and the colors. Back there, it would be 52 F (11 C) right now. Can you just feel the mists starting to roll out, just saying that temperature?
Recipe: Autumn Chili (Anna style)
Chili is one of those foods that is both a comfort and a controversy all at the same time. It gets better with a little time, a lot better, but only for a short amount of time. Before I wax too eloquently on about how flavor builds, let’s give you a few of the ingredients. Note, I do NOT shy away from spice or salt, so you might need to tone it down. (But lucky for me, my low blood pressure means, I get ALL the salt.)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of salt
1 lb of ground meat (Beef from Butcher Box is pretty awesome for this.)
2 cloves of fresh crush, chopped garlic. (Powdered works in a pinch ~ 2 tablespoons. Yes, you will get rid of more than vampires, but it is so tasty.)
1/2 a large onion (Dice up it up nicely. Powder also works, but real has more body.)
1 tablespoon of cumin (Tasty Indian spice.)
1/2 tablespoon of turmeric (Just make sure to add while cooking the meat, so it can get well cooked. Trust, me so much better if well cooked up. More Indian spices!)
2 cans of tomato puree (I guess you could get tomatoes and grow your own, but for someone reason, I mostly only want to eat fresh tomatoes not cook them down… except for tortilla soup.)
4 tablespoons of chili powder (One of the specialty ones with lots of spice!)
1+ tablespoon of cayenne powder (Adjust to taste - we like it spicy!)
1 tablespoon of paprika (Again, a spicy specialty version.)
1 can of kidney beans (Drained and rinsed.)
1 can of garbanzo beans (Drained and rinsed.)
3-4 sweet potatoes (Cut into nice little cubes - about 16 oz.)
1-2 butternut squash (Cut into nice little cubes - about 10 oz.)
Note: I really think real onions and garlic make it even better. For garlic, that’s two cloves of fresh crush, chopped garlic.
Preparation:
Drain and rinse the kidney and garbanzo beans. If you got dried, I recommend soaking overnight and cooking it to soften, with a selection of the spices from the recipe… It is a long, long, journey to being soft and tender.
If using fresh sweet potatoes and butternut squash, peel and cube them into cubes that are just a little smaller than your thumb… Wait that sounds a little odd. Hmm. Like bite sized, not so small or to big… Now that sounds like Goldilocks. If you need to speed things up you can use boil water to get them nice and tender and add them and need less simmer time. But that shortcut leads to less flavor.
Cook the Ground Meat
In a large iron pan or Dutch oven heat it up until you can drop water in it and it sizzles, but not until it smokes. That way leads to… some less than eatable food and possibly flames or smoke.... Don’t ask.
Add the ground meat, salt, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. This should take about 5-7 minutes. DO NOT add the chili powder or cayenne at this time, unless you want to clear out the house and cough for days.
Add Aromatics
Stir in the minced garlic (or garlic powder) and onion powder. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.
Incorporate the Vegetables
Add the sweet potato cubes and butternut squash to the pot. Stir to combine.
Add Tomato Puree and Beans
Pour in the two cans of tomato puree and add the drained kidney and garbanzo beans. Stir everything together.
Spice it Up
Add the rest of the spices - more cumin, chili powder, cayenne powder, and salt - to the pot. Stir well to coat the meat and release the spices’ flavors. Let it simmer for a while. Low and slow is the way to flavor.
Simmer the Chili
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to meld and the sweet potatoes and squash to soften. Also they add all the flavor one minute at a time. So tasty…
Taste and Adjust
After simmering, taste the chili and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You can add more salt, chili powder, or cayenne to suit your preference. But I always suggest letting it cook otherwise it tastes pretty sharp. Not sharp like a good cheese though.
Serve
Serve the chili hot, garnished with your favorite toppings. I am a sucker for shredded cheese, sour cream, or something that has a nice mellow flavor to completement it. I think Tod ends up just adding more spice like fresh peppers. (Serranoes for a bright green, fresh flavor or jalapenos if you prefer that flavor. -Tod)
We usually eat it within the week, not sure how long it should or can be stored, but isn’t the point to tuck into it?
Chaos Tip of the Week
Sneak in sweet potatoes for a touch of sweetness and watch your chili transform into a surprisingly delightful dessert! (Just kidding. Sort of.)
Critter’s Weekly Question
Have you ever tried adding a secret sweet ingredient to your savory dishes? Or savory to your sweet dishes? (I love habanero syrup on deserts. When I tested deserts at Indika, Anita knew that was a usual response from me. -Tod)
Black Cat Tales Anthology!
Black Cat Tales! It’s Fall which is a great time to buy a black cat anthology! You can purchase Black Cat Tales Anthology on Amazon and other retailers https://www.amazon.com/Black-Cat-Tales-Anthology-Cats-ebook/dp/B0DXMXX5JP/ Black Cat Tales reach #1 for Horror Anthologies for both IngramSparks (the main distributor for bookstores) and Barnes & Noble! If it isn’t on your Fall reading list, it should be.