Pumpkin chili and other fall fun!

Hey guys! It's been a while again, but at least not as long as before! As usual things have been pretty busy around here. I've been fighting a cold all week, and some days the cold won. Thankfully, I'm feeling much better now. Steve had some sort of law competition thing today so he's been gone since lunchtime. I must say, I've had a pretty productive day! I went grocery shopping this morning and have been on a cleaning spree this afternoon. Just boring stuff like laundry and going through closets, but still productive. 

So, Steve and I have plans to go see his parents tomorrow. His mom's birthday was earlier this week and we didn't get to go see her because of my stupid cold. Boo! We had told his parents we would bring lunch so I've been a little kitchen Diva today. I've made pumpkin chili and cornbread muffins for lunch tomorrow. And have everything assembled for a pumpkin cake for dessert. My sister-in-law Pam, and I'm sure some others had not heard of pumpkin chili. I must say, it sounded a little odd to me at first. But I made it a few weeks ago, and Steve and I both loved it. I told Pam I would post the recipe, so here it is. 

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp chili powder, to taste
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 4.5 oz canned green chile
• 2 cups chicken broth

Heat a large, heavy saute pan over high heat and lightly spray with oil. Add meat and cook, breaking it up, until white (about 5 minutes). Add to crock pot. 

Add oil to the saute pan, then onions and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes. Add cumin and saute for another minute. 

Add to crock pot. Then add pumpkin, beans, green chiles, chicken broth, chili powder, oregano and bay leaves. 

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. 

Remove bay leaves before serving and adjust seasoning. 

May serve with sour cream and cilantro if desired. 

Doesn't that look yummy?! And it is. :) Hope some of you may try it and enjoy it! I promise it doesn't have an overwhelming pumpkin taste. It just adds a certain richness and almost creaminess to the chili. Granted, I'm a pumpkin fan, but like I said it isn't overpowering! Let me know if you try it and like it! 

And by the way, the cake promises to be yummy! I just haven't actually made it yet, so I'm not going to endorse something until I've tried it myself!