Pumpkin Pork Mole Chili Recipe

So I had some shredded pork leftover from a slow-cooked meal over the weekend, and the spices I used with the pork made me think of mole.  I really wanted to turn it into a pumpkin mole chili, but couldn't find the recipe I wanted so I made it up based on some other recipes.  (Here is a link to my favorite canned pumpkin perfect for soups, muffins, pie, etc.) Pretty hearty and delightful on a cold winter day! Change the spice quantities to your own taste or add more heat if you like (I'm a little wimpy).

RECIPE:
Ingredients:

1 tbsp Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Onion, chopped
1 lb Cooked Shredded Pork (Or you can use any meat you like, I used this recipe the night before)
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Dried Oregano
1 tbsp Paprika
1 1/2 tbsp Chili Powder (Adjust to taste)
1 tbsp Cumin
2-3 tbsp Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (Or any chocolate)
1 28 oz Can Diced Tomatoes
1 14.5 oz Can Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Broth or Stock (Use water if you don't have it)
1 14.5 oz Can Black Beans
1 cup Frozen Corn

Directions:

In a large stock pot/dutch oven, cook onions over medium heat in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Next, add meat.  If cooked, just stir in and warm for a few minutes.  Otherwise cook until meat browns.  Next, add spices, chocolate, tomatoes, pumpkin, and broth.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Simmer anywhere from 30-90 minutes (as long as you can stand it without eating it!) Stir in the black beans and corn about 10 minutes before it is done cooking.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, or shredded cheese (I thought it was perfect plain). Serve with your favorite homemade quick beer bread, like my favorite, Whole Wheat Beer Bread. Enjoy!

Makes about 4-6 servings.

Farm Fresh to Your Table Anywhere You Live With CSA!

This morning I woke up to a box of fresh produce waiting for me at my doorstep.  Yes! No digging through the horrible selection at the grocery store this week for me! Where did this come from, you ask? Why, my local CSA of course!



What is a CSA?

If you are not from a small town or farm, you likely have never heard of CSA.  It stands for Community Supported Agriculture - which I know sounds really fancy. What it really is is a way for consumers to buy products directly from the farmer.  It is good for both the consumer and the farmer because it cuts out the middle man and consumers know exactly where their produce is coming from.  It is also, with many CSA's, a contract so the farmer knows he has a certain level of commitment from his customers.  Typically the customer signs up and then receives a box of food once a week or once every other week for between $25-$40 a box.   This is such an easy, no-brainer thing to do.  You already spend this money on produce at the store right? Farmers markets are catching on to the trend and charging more. There is so much I could write about these CSA's, but what we really want to know is how we can get service where we live right?

In Washington, I just began service with one of the biggest CSA's around, Full Circle Farms.  I was able to try out the service with a Groupon I bought the other week.  I got this box for $17! (Usually $35)

Here are the contents:

Celery, Organic - 1 each Deardorff Family Farms, Oxnard, California. details...

Rainbow Carrots, Organic - 1 bunch Boskovich Farms, Oxnard, California. details...

Broccolette, Organic - 1 bunch Earthbound Organics, San Juan Bautista, California. details...

Shallots, Organic - 0.5 pound Andersen Organics, Othello, Washington. details...

Green Beans, Organic - 0.75 bunch Mexico Growers, Mexico. details...

Cremini Mushrooms, Organic - 0.4 pound Champs Mushrooms, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. details...

Red Leaf Lettuce, Organic - 1 bunch Cal-Organics, Lamont, California. details...

Red Chard, Organic - 1 bunch Capay Organic, Capay, California. details...

Navel Oranges, Organic - 4 each Purity Organic Citrus, Thermal, California. details...

Minneola Tangelos, Organic - 4 each Twin Girls Farm, San Francisco, California. details...

Red D'Anjou Pears, Organic - 3 each Blue Bird Inc., Peshastin, Washington. details...

Gala Apples, Organic - 3 each Earth Conscious Organics, Brewster, Washington. details...

Now - you will notice it lists different locations for each group.  Most CSA's have ingredients from one farm, only available in the summer growing season.  My CSA operates year round, so they have deals with other farms to buy produce from them.  I don't mind because it is still fairly local, and full circle lets you swap items in your box ahead of time online if you don't want something from a particular grower.

How can you help support local agriculture and get a box of food delivered fresh to your doorstep? I would start by googling Community Supported Agriculture and your city.  There is also this great website I found called Ecovian.  It is an online city green guide where you can find green CSA's, Grocers, and Restaurants to name a few.

What's also great about this CSA - less thinking at the grocery store! I can be creative by googling or making up recipes just based on what comes in the box.  It also gives me the opportunity to try new foods.  For example, tonight we will be trying Swiss Red Chard for the first time! Time to look up some recipes...