Chipotle Beef and Butternut Squash with Buttermilk Honey Cornbread

Cool crisp nights are an open invitation to indulge in a steaming bowl of comfort food. This dish has a little bit of kick. Pair the chili with a slice of Honey Buttermilk Cornbread and you have a meal of pure bliss.  

Chipotle Beef and Butternut Squash and Bean Chili

Cook’s notes: A real chili winner with the addition of butternut squash and two surprise ingredients; chocolate and beer. I highly recommend making this chili a day ahead to maximize the flavors. The chili has a bit of a kick with the addition of chipotle pepper. It's a one-pot meal that serves 6-8. Serve the chili with grated cheddar cheese, diced green onions, and cornbread or breadsticks.

As a timesaver buy prepacked butternut squash (produce) 

Recipe adapted from People Magazine March 23, 2015

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef or 2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
• ½ cup each green pepper and red pepper, diced
• 1 cup sweet onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Optional 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper 

• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans Mexican style stewed or chunky tomatoes
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo or kidney beans
• 1 can (15 oz.) chili beans
• 1/2 bottle of lager beer (6 oz.)
• 2 oz. dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chili sauce
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw

Directions:

• Cook ground beef, crumble, drain, and set aside. If using beef stew meat sear the cubes first in hot oil and set aside. In the same soup pot sauté peppers, onions, and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add in cumin and chili powder, cook 1 minute longer.
• Add to the pot chipotle pepper if using, stewed or chunky tomatoes, squash, broth, black beans, garbanzo beans, chili beans, beer, chocolate chips, and chili sauce. Bring mixture to a slow boil over medium-high heat.
• Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 50 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in corn last 15 minutes of cooking time.

Honey Buttermilk Cornbread

Cook's Notes; A very moist bread. If looking for a little more zing (spice) to your bread, add 3 jalapeno slices, diced small to the batter.  I added it and was great.

Recipe adapted from closetcooking.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup softened butter or 1/4 cup oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
•  2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• honey drizzle

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a loaf pan. 
• In a separate bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• Mix the buttermilk, oil or butter, and eggs.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 
• Mix in jalapeno peppers if using. 
• Pour batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. bake 30 minutes.
• Remove pan and with a large skewer poke holes over the top. Drizzle honey over the top.  
• Let cool in pan 12 minutes before removing.