Farmhouse Pumpkin Chili
Yield: 8-10 Servings

3 Lb. Beef Short Ribs, Cubed
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ Cups Each of the Following:
Diced Red Bell Pepper
Diced Sweet Onion
Sliced Celery
4-6 Red Chili Peppers, Whole
4 Cups Diced Roasted Pumpkin (or Butternut Squash)
2 Quarts Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
2 Large Jars Kidney or Mixed Beans
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste, Sautéed in Oil
2 Tablespoons Tradewinds Seasoning
2 Tablespoons Bravo! Seasoning
1-2 Tablespooons Cumin
2 Teaspoons Ground Pink Peppercorns
1 1/2 Teaspoons French Grey Salt
2 Tablespoons Masa Harina
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Flat-Leaf, Italian Parsley
Most every Home Chef has a great recipe for chili. We wanted to broaden our horizon a little and transform our chili into a real Farmhouse Fusion recipe. We love pumpkin and the natural affinity it has to our chili seasonings, so we wanted to include it in this version of our chili. All of the vegetables in ours (including the pumpkin) are straight from our garden. Once you try this, we think you'll love it as much as we do. It will be a nice change of pace during the fall - and into the holidays when everyone appreciates pumpkin!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat has browned on all sides. Remove meat and add bell peppers, onions, and celery. Saute, stirring frequently, until onions are transparent. Return meat to the pot, stir to combine ingredients, and place in oven. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to an hour, until meat is fork tender. Remove from oven, mix in roasted pumpkin, chili peppers, tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, seasonings and masa harina.
Return mixture to the oven and reduce temperature to 300 degrees. Continue to roast, stirring occasionally, for another 3 hours.
Remove chili from oven. Stir in chopped parsley, and test seasonings. Let stand before serving. The chili will be even better if you make it a day ahead and let it stand. If desired, serve with grated cheese and sour cream.