Mandy's Meals & More

Tonight we had a casual dinner for four at our house. Given the new temperature and falling leaves I figured chili would be a real crowd pleaser! Its warm, filling and super easy. As usual, I incorporated a seasonal fall veggie: butternut squash.

To accompany my chili I made a delicious skillet cornbread with bacon/lime butter. The crispy corn-filled bread paired perfectly with the salty bacony spread. YUMMO!

Check out the recipes below.

Butternut Squash and Turkey Chiliadapted from The Food Network

Ingredients 3 teaspoons olive oil 1 pound 99 percent fat-free ground turkey 1 medium onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 3 tablespoons tomato paste Kosher salt 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups) 4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped Two 14-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh green onions 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (garnish)

Directions Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up chunks with the side of a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Push the turkey to the edges of the pan, leaving the middle empty. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, then the onion and garlic to the center of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes (I found it took about 8 minutes to soften). Add the chili powder, cumin and coriander and stir about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until the paste begins to darken in color, about 30 seconds. Then add the squash, tomatoes and 4 cups water, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chili has thickened and the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. (After the 30 minutes I added beans and kept this simmering for a couple hours and found that it helped the flavors marry and thicken the chili overall)

Season with an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, then taste the chili. Spoon the chili into bowls and top each bowl with green onions and cheese.

Buttermilk Cornbread with Bacon, Chili and Lime Butterrecipe from Spoon Fork Bacon

Ingredients 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2/3 cup fresh corn kernels (off of about 2 cobs) 2 cups yellow cornmeal 2 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and divided 4 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup honey, warmed (plus extra for drizzling) salt and pepper to taste bacon,chili,lime butter: 1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled 2 tablespoon shallots, minced 1/2 cup, (1 stick) cold salted butter, cut into cubes 1 tablespoon chile powder 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper zest of 3 limes

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 8”x8” baking dish into oven. 2. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. 4. In another bowl whisk together eggs, 1 cup butter, buttermilk, and honey 5. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until well mixed. Fold in corn. 6. Pour remaining butter into hot baking dish and swirl to cover all sides. 7. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 45 minute to an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. 8. Remove from oven and drizzle with a small amount of honey. Serve with bacon butter. 9. Bacon, chili, lime butter: Place bacon and shallots in a food processor and pulse until a fine mealy texture forms. Add remaining ingredients and continue to pulse until fully incorporated. Place butter in a ramekin and place in the refrigerator. Before serving, set butter out for 30 minutes to soften. Serve.

Enjoy!