Butternut Squash Chili with Beef

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Butternut Squash Chili with Beef

Cook's Notes:

A chili dish with a twist that uses butternut squash. As a timesaver look for prepackaged  butternut squash cubes in produce. 

I highly recommend making this chili a day ahead to maximize the flavors. Its a real winner with the addition of butternut squash sweetness. The chili has a bit of a kick with spices.

Serve chili with cornbread or bread sticks. Recipe adapted from Southern Living Our Best Stews and Soups 2014 and serves 6.
Ingredients:

• 1 LB. lean ground beef or 1 LB. beef stew meat
• 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz. ) cans Mexican style stewed tomatoes
• 1 can chili beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2-3/4 butternut squash, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Directions:

• Cook ground beef, bell pepper, onions and garlic. Drain meat mixture and crumble ground beef. Add it back to soup pot. If using beef stew meat sear the meat cubes first, set aside and then saute pepper, onions and garlic. 
• Add in stewed tomatoes, chili beans, broth, squash cubes, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer about 50 minute or until squash is tender. Stir in corn last 15 minutes of cooking time.