White Bean Pumpkin Chili

My son does not like black beans.  He and I share so many characteristics, but in this we part ways.  I have never met a legume I did not adore, and black beans are among my favorites.  It has taken me several years to accept this, but our bean based meals are much more peaceful now that I've chosen to leave the black beans out.  Pumpkin chili is a seasonal favorite, but my original recipe called for black beans.  This year I used cannellini beans and we were all very happy with the result.

A few words about pumpkin chili:

It is delicious.

This chili is as soothing and comforting as climbing up in your Memaws lap with an afghan and reading your favorite book.  The flavors are savory but mild; the texture is substantial but silky smooth.  We eat chili often throughout the cold seasons--all three of them--so pumpkin chili is a nice change from the norm. I highly recommend adding it to your annual, culinary fall welcoming!

You can serve it with a simple, sweet cornbread...or buttermilk biscuits...or rich, crusty french bread.  I'm quite pregnant at the moment so I served mine with a smile!

White Bean Pumpkin Chili
serves 10-12
1 lb. dry cannellini or great northern beans
1 onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. cumin
4 Tbsp. chili powder
29 oz. pumpkin puree
29 oz. crushed tomatoes
2-3 cups broth from cooking beans
salt and pepper to taste

optional:
cooked, cubed chicken* or cooked, ground turkey

1~Soak beans overnight in 8 cups of water.
2~Drain beans and recover w/ fresh water.  Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil and a bit of salt and extra seasonings (oregano, cumin, chili powder) to the water.  Bring to a boil; cook for 1-2 hours, or until beans are firm-tender.
3~Remove most of the bean broth, set aside 2-3 cups.  You'll add some later to reach the right consistency.
4~Saute onion, garlic, and pepper for 5-10 minutes.  Add oregano, cumin, and chili powder.  Scrape mixture into chili pot.
5~Stir in pumpkin puree and crushed tomatoes (and meat if you so desire.) Add as much broth as you need to give the chili the consistency you like.
6~Slowly heat for an hour or more.  As the chili cooks taste it periodically, adding small amounts of salt and pepper until all the flavors come out.

*Roasting chickens are the cheapest way to feed my crowd meaty meals.  I usually roast the chicken one day and serve it with lots of veggies, potatoes, and bread.  (More sides mean more chicken leftover.)  After dinner I pick the chicken clean and put all the meat in the fridge.  The next night I can use that meat for a totally new meal--stew, casserole, enchiladas, pasta sauce, etc.  And that second meal usually leaves us enough leftovers for a second night.  That's three meals from one chicken.