Chili Seasoning and Pumpkin Chili – 31 Days of Slow Cooking (Day 8)

Please view my welcome post introducing you to my newest blog dedicated to slow cooking.  This is a continuation of my I’m Hungry blog.

Last Saturday, I planned my dinners for the week.  It was cold and rainy.  The temperatures had dipped into the ’40s, so chili really sounded good.  However, Ohio’s weather can change by the minute, so by the time we had this dinner, it was in the 70s.  Not really chili weather.  Even so, this dinner was delicious!

Hubby swears that once October hit, there was a real push for pumpkin everything.  Pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread, pumpkin Oreos, etc. . . .

My chili features pumpkin.  The pumpkin makes the chili thick.  

The family loved this chili.  Wee One, my youngest, placed the corn muffin we served with the chili on a plate.  Then he poured the chili over the corn muffin.  He then ate it that way.

Before we get to the pumpkin chili, I will share a chili seasoning blend that we really enjoy in our chili.   I love to do-it-yourself spice blends because you control the ingredients.  We don’t like cumin, so I put less in my spice blends.

Chili Seasoning Blend

adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/2 c. dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 c. chili powder
• 1/4 c. minced onions
• 2 Tbsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. ground cumin (I use 1/2 Tbsp. to 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 Tbsp. dried basil
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. paprika

Steps:

1. Combine the ingredients in an airtight container.
2. Use 3 Tbsp. of seasoning mix when you make chili.

Pumpkin Chili

Adapted from All Four Burners

Stars of the recipe:

• 1 lb. of ground sausage (I used mild.)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sm. onion, diced
• 2 – 14.5 oz. Can diced tomatoes or 1 big can (around 28 oz.) of diced tomatoes  – do not drain it
• 1 – 28.5 oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie ready)
• 1 – 15 oz. can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed off
• 1 – 4 oz. can of mild diced green chilies
• 1 c. frozen whole-kernel corn
• 3 Tbsp. chili seasoning

Steps:

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add sausage and cook until browned.  (I cooked my sausage in my small slow cooker overnight, so I skipped steps 1 -3.)
4. Drain the fat.
5. Place the sausage mixture in a 5 to 6-quart crock pot.  (Since I had cooked my sausage overnight, I added the garlic and onion.)  Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot.
6. Cook for 7 hours on low.
7. Enjoy with cornbread!

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Please visit my post about the 31 days of slow cooking on my I’m Hungry blog.

Happy Eating,

Traci