The chili I usually make is - for lack of better terms - super boring. A pound of beef, beans, tomatoes, some spices...you get the picture, right?! The other day I read about adding squash to a chili {I do apologize for not giving credit, but it has escaped me where exactly I read it :(} - sounded to me like a fantastic idea, especially since I had a couple of small delicata squashes, and some frozen ground beef left. I threw it all together and turned out so good. Honestly so much better than any of my other so called "Chili". Oh, and yes I know a German girl making Chili is kind of odd...but it was good...
Chili with Squash
*1 C dried black beans {either soaked overnight, or quick soaked - you can also use canned beans}
*1/4 C dried red beans {either soaked overnight, or quick soaked - you can also use canned beans}
*1/4 C dried white beans {either soaked overnight, or quick soaked - you can also use canned beans}
Splash of olive oil
1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbl Chili powder
1/2 lb. beef
2 small to medium sized Delicata Squash; peeled, seeded, and cut into small chunks
1 large can of fire roasted diced tomatoes {or regular diced tomatoes}
4 C water
1/2 C frozen corn
Splash of Maple Syrup {1-2 Tbl}
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1. Heat splash of olive oil in stock pot; when hot add onions and saute until soft, then add
2. garlic stir for a minute or so before adding chili powder, and beef. When beef is lightly
browned add,
3. squash, stir it in the pot for a minute or so before adding beans, tomatoes, and water;
4. bring to a slow simmer, and keep lid three quarters of the way on pot until beans are soft {it took
me - quick soaked beans - a little over an hour};
5. add frozen corn, and when heated through add maple syrup salt and - optional - cayenne pepper to
taste.
We had ours with corn muffins {I make them out of the Jiffy box and add Almond milk}