All Saint’s Wake Pumpkin Chili

Originally this housing item features a stew but… chili is a stew isn’t it? It’s also my favorite autumnal dish so I’m working with it.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 to 1lb ground beef (I personally like 1/2lb)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can beans
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup onion, cut into moons (or chopped)
• 1 poblano, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• approx 2 cups broth, any kind
• 1 1/2 tbsp oregano
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2-3 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper.

For decoration

• One kabocha or midnight pumpkin, cleaned out
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hard boiled eggs
• Nori
• Parsley or broccoli

Directions

1. Cook ground beef in skillet, drain the excess fat.
2. Grease crockpot with olive oil
3. Add cooked beef, tomatoes, beans, pumpkin, onion, poblano and garlic.
4. Add broth until all the solids are just covered. You may need more or less broth that listed.
5. Add oregano, chili powder, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. I eyeball the measurements. They’re a suggestion, really.
6. Give it a stir then let cook approx 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. If the poblano and onion are still bright it isn’t done.

For the Decoration

1. Make sure your pumpkin is cleaned out well. Then bake until cooked through. This will vary based on the size of your pumpkin. Don’t cook the lid.
2. Gently cut the shape of the face then peel off the skin.
3. Slice some of the pumpkin off the unbaked lid. Cut into star shapes then bake until cooked through.
4. Cut jack-o-lantern faces from the nori and apply to the boiled eggs.
5. Place Pumpkin on your serving dish, then place eggs, tomatoes and parsley/broccoli around it.
6. Fill the pumpkin with chili.
7. Place pumpkin stars on top.
8. Place lid.
9. Serve. Be gentle when transporting as the cooked pumpkin is a little delicate.