My favorite times of year to spend in the kitchen are fall and winter. There’s something about the oven heating up the room and the smell of fall flavors wafting throughout the house. Cinnamon, brown butter, cardamom, allspice, apple - my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It’s when spending hours baking and trying new recipes just feels right. There’s one fall staple that seems to work its way into everyone’s lives this time of year - pumpkin. Lattes, chai, pie, cookies, bread, etc. Sweet pumpkin deliciousness is everywhere! But pumpkin is also great for cooking as well! So, I’ve decided to share with you two fall meals that incorporate pumpkin and encapsulate a hearty fall meal!
Fall Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 White or Sweet Onion, diced
1 Bell Pepper (Orange or Yellow)
2 cloves Garlic, diced
1 pkg (1.5 lbs) All-Natural Ground Turkey or Venison
1 14.5oz can Diced & No Salt Added Tomatoes
2 15oz cans Pumpkin
1 15oz can Kidney Beans, drained
1 8.75oz can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Optional Garnish
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Cilantro
Avocado
Directions
In a large saucepan or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and bell peppers and sauté until onions are translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add diced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add turkey or venison and break up in the pan with a spoon, sautéing until turkey or venison is browned and cooked through. Stir in tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, corn and spices. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the chili cooks, you may want to add water and additional salt, cumin, or pepper to taste until it reaches your desired thickness and flavor! Optional to garnish with sour cream, cheese, avocado and cilantro, and serve.
Smothered Chicken Burritos
Ingredients
2-3 cups shredded chicken, cooked (A quick hack to shredded chicken is a buying a rotisserie chicken and shredding with fork)
4 whole wheat or flour tortillas
1 15oz can pure pumpkin
1 15oz can tomato sauce
⅓ cup chicken broth
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (Option to use mixed variety of shredded cheeses)
4 garlic cloves
½ white onion
1 jalapeño
1 can black beans
Chili powder
Cumin
Avocado, optional
Directions
Step 1: Make the Pumpkin Sauce
Pumpkin Sauce:
1 15oz can pure pumpkin
1 15oz can tomato sauce
⅓ cup chicken broth
½ cup sour cream
2 garlic cloves
Chili powder
Cumin
Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. For spices, start light and then add to taste. Preheat your oven to 350.
Step 2: Make the filling
½ white onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 garlic gloves, diced
2-3 cups shredded chicken, cooked
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup pumpkin sauce
In a large saucepan sauté onion, jalapeño, and diced garlic until fragrant and onions are translucent. Stir in chicken, black beans, and pumpkin sauce and heat until warm.
Step 3: Assemble burritos & bake
To prepare 1 burrito, scoop 1 large spoonful of filling onto your tortilla. Fold in opposite sides, then roll up. Place seam-sides down, in baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients to prepare 4-5 total burritos depending on desired thickness! Once the burritos are all placed in the baking dish, smother them with the remaining pumpkin sauce. Top the baking dish with shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. I found that 25 minutes was ideal for my gas oven.
Step 4: Serve!
Scoop out each burrito onto a place unto a plate. Optional to garnish with avocado slices & sour cream, and serve. Delicious!!!
I hope you enjoy these recipes! Let me know if you try them in the comments below!
Many Blessings –
Claire