Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash

It’s fall, and I love cooking comfort food!  Check out my new Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash recipe.  What’s better than squash and fall right?

Ingredients:

• 1 package ground turkey
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1 to 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 – 28 oz. tomato puree
• 1 – 28 oz. diced tomatoes
• 1 medium to small butternut squash
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground espresso
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons ancho chili power (if you don’t have ancho chili, just use regular chili powder)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground oregano
• cayenne pepper to taste if you like spicy (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Slice the butternut squash in half and lightly coat with butter, salt and pepper.
3. Place butternut squash face up on a cooking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes.
4. Let cook, then cut squash into cubes and put aside.
5. In a large dutch over or soup pot brown ground turkey with a bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick to the pan at medium heat on stove.
6. You can add the onion, green peppers, jalapenos and garlic in before the ground turkey is done so all the flavors can cook together (approximately 15 minutes).
7. Add diced tomatoes and tomato puree, and remaining ingredients and stir.
8. Add as much butternut squash as you want.  I added approximately 4 to 5 cups.  What you do not use, you can freeze or use later.
9. Place on low heat and cook for at least 45 to 60 minutes.
10. Serve with plain Greek yogurt/sour cream, cilantro and avocado!

Chili is also great with cornbread which is one of my favorites!  If you like spicy things like I do, you will like cutting jalapenos and putting them in the cornbread too.