Gobble This Chili: Pumpkin, Black Bean, and Turkey Chili

Nov 22, 2009 by The Cooking Bride

Just about every food magazine this month contains tips, tricks, and techniques for a fabulous Thanksgiving feast — how to get the juiciest turkey, the crispiest skin, the fluffiest mashed potatoes, and the sweetest cranberry sauce.  This year it’s Thanksgiving with the in-laws, where my husband’s mother and his aunts have been making their time-honored holiday dishes for years.  Since I am still a relative newcomer to the family, I have been asked to bring . . .wait for the drum roll . . . deviled eggs.

Ho hum.  I don’t even like deviled eggs.

Instead of focusing on improving the holiday feast – I will save that for next year when I’m hosting my family and doing the cooking – I am going to focus on what to do when the guests have gone, your better half is snoozing in the easy chair, the kitchen fairy has left you with a sink full of dirty dishes, and you have enough turkey to feed a small third world country.

I can’t really help you out with the dishes unless you are willing to arrange transportation for me on Friday and pay me a substantial sum to clean up your kitchen.  Might I suggest buying a bigger dishwasher or forcing your children, if you have any, into indentured servitude?  I can offer up a suggestion on what to do with the pile of meat sitting in your fridge destined for a month’s worth of turkey sandwiches.  Make chili.

This is a post I have been sitting on for about two months now.  The minute the weather even hinted of cooler temperatures I was whipping this recipe out.  I have made it twice already this season.  I was intrigued by the fact that this recipe called for a can of pumpkin.  Trust me, this does not taste “pumpkin-y” at all.  It actually has a nice Southwestern flair and the pumpkin helps to thicken the broth.

My husband swears this chili is better than his mother’s (please don’t tell her that).  A few weeks ago my Dad stopped by for dinner and helped himself to three bowls.  Please, don’t punish your taste buds by eating a month’s worth of boring turkey tetrazzini.  Just make this chili.

Pumpkin, Black Bean, and Turkey Chili
Print Version

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 ½ cups cooked turkey meat, shredded, or 2 cups cooked ground turkey meat
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) hot tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• ¾  teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano.  Add all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Top with shredded cheddar if desired.

Serves 4-6