This is my favorite time of year because it’s getting cooler and there’s so many tasty things to make.  We carved(or “scarved” as Kaden says) our pumpkins the other night in front of the fireplace. Baked pumpkin seeds are of my of favorite snacks for this time of year. I found a really good recipe for sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds a few years ago and adapted it to make it mine and have been using that recipe ever since. They really aren’t spicy like the name says, but  they are sooo good. This year we had a lot of pumpkins so I ended up having to double the recipe, but that’s fine with me. More seeds! This is the best salty, crunchy snack ever!

The Recipe:

• 2 cups Pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
• 2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
• 1 Tsp. Hot sauce (more or less to taste. I like like a little more.)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Stir together butter and seeds in a bowl until evenly coated. Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce and mix well. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until slightly browned and crispy.

Well, the weather has been cold and just right for chili making. And it’s October, so I thought we would try out some Pumpkin Chili. I was a little worried if this would actually be good or not, but it turned out really well. I usually don’t like chili that has a lot of meat or beans in it, but this was yummy.

The recipe:

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) hot chili beans, undrained
• 2 bottles (12 ounces each) chili sauce
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice(I made my own using 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ginger and 1/8 tsp. allspice. I also had to make my own allspice by using equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add water or beef stock if  desired to reduce thickness. ( Mine was a little think for my liking, so I added about 1 1/2 cups beef broth) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.  I served mine with tortilla chips, shredded cheese and some hot sauce.

The weather was a lot cooler last week, so it seemed only fitting to make some chili. So I did just that, and it was sooo good.  Even the Hubs, who is usually partial to his own chili and no one else’s is ever as good as his, liked it.  This recipe is perfect for us and all you others that like beanless chili. 😛

Here’s the recipe I used:

(I added some chili powder and habanero because be like it hot)

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1-1/2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed & cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt & pepper
• 1 onion, grated or chopped
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano flakes
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled & chopped small
• 14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2, 4oz cans green chilies
• 2 jalapenos, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add pork, season with salt and pepper, then cook for 10 minutes. Add onion and spices then cook until pork is no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. Add fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, green chilies, and jalapenos, then bring chili to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, increase heat to medium-high and bring chili to a rolling boil.

2. While chili is coming up to a rolling boil, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Very slowly drizzle mixture into the boiling chili, whisking the chili vigorously the entire time. Turn off heat, give chili one last big stir, then let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Top with cheese and chips. I also sprinkled on some hot sauce.