Alarming Election Chili, a Tax-chick Original Recipe!
(Quantities listed will make around 4 servings.)
1 pound extra-lean ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, etc.)
1 medium onion — chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 cups V-8® vegetable juice, no added salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (or equal amount cooked pumpkin)
2 15-oz cans (or one 28-oz can) petite diced tomatoes
1 can mushroom pieces
Brown the onion, pepper, and garlic with the ground meat. Drain if necessary. Add the chili powder, cumin, and garam masala; stir for one minute. Add the V-8 and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, return to simmer. Stir in the pureed pumpkin and mushrooms. Simmer for 30 minutes, give or take. Serve with shredded cheddar and corn chips.
All seasonings are “to taste,” of course Most people like more salt in it, and many prefer less garlic.
Variants: Add one can black beans, rinsed and drained. Add frozen corn kernels. Replace pumpkin with mashed sweet potatoes. Add habanero sauce. Leave out mushrooms (Tom won’t eat them) or use fresh mushrooms, added at the time the spices are stirred with the meat and vegetables.
That sounds pretty darned good! I wouldn’t have thought of the gram masala OR the pumpkin . . . but I love Indian food and pumpkin too, so we’ll give it a shot.