Butternut Chili & TFRecipes.com Menu Mailer

Last night it got a bit chilly in our house....it was down in the 40's overnight with our windows open. For those who don't live in Central FL....this is what we call "chilly". I wanted to make some chili for dinner tonight to warm us up.

I remembered reading a yummy recipe in my recent Traditional Food Menu Mailer. Kerry Ann is now offering all the favorite recipes from Volume 1 of her Menu Mailer in a NEW BOOK! Check it out.

We used the recipe below...of course with some of my own changes.

I am doing a fast from red meat this week so I made this vegetarian. So...first no beef, no liver and no beef broth (subbed water). Second I used canned (lazy) beans...1 Kidney and 1 Black. I always add more spices on top of what is listed...I doubled the cumin & chili powder then added in oregano, cinnamon & a little cocoa powder. I served it over sweet cornbread with sides of shredded cheddar cheese & sour cream.

Families Verdict: I LOVED it. I may add more spices next time...I like things HOT. My DH liked it and wouldn't mind it again. The others kids..can take it or leave it....they enjoy the cornbread, butter & sour cream more than the beans/veggies.

Beef and Butternut Chili

Hands-on: 20 minutes
Hands-off: 15 / 15 minutes
Serves 4

1/3 pound dry small red or kidney beans or 1 can, drained
3 Tbs coconut oil, tallow, butter or ghee
½ - 1 pound ground beef of stew meat
2-4 ounces ground beef liver, optional
1-2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 (14½-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Anaheim chili, chopped or 1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
½ butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 cup beef stock
½ Tbs cumin
½ Tbs chili powder (adjust to your preference)
1 tsp salt
Dash pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional

In a crock-pot, cover the beans with water and place on ‘keep warm’
overnight with the lid off. The next morning, drain and rinse then recover
with water. Cover and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook
the beef, liver and onion while breaking up the beef until it is no longer
pink. Stir in the reserved beans, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, squash,
stock and spices and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer
for 15 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook another 15 minutes or until the
squash is tender and the chili is thickened.

Serve with cornbread. Stretch this meal by using a half-pound of meat,
add extra beans, use a large butternut squash and add an extra can of
tomatoes.