There has GOT to be a vaccine for this!

Isn’t it about time we all faced up to the truth?

We are facing a culinary epidemic.

No, I am not talking about Xmas cookies.

No, not sriracha!

And, stop it with the muffins already!

I speak, of course, of the emerging health crisis of…

Pumpkin Spice!

We have all been sucked in to an alternative reality.

A reality where cinnamon and nutmeg litter a post-Apocalyptic landscape like candy wrappers after a Walmart Black Friday.

I blame Starbucks!

In the past few weeks, I have been assaulted by Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Candy, Pumpkin Spice Mac N Cheese, even, Pumpkin Spice – er, well, you get the idea.

I have even been offered Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin! Bit redundant aren’t we?

Not that I mind my nutmeg and cinnamon. I have seven different types of cinnamon and my own nutmeg grinder, after all.

BUT-

Isn’t it about time we considered how we are warping the minds of the young?

Aren’t we supposed to be setting a good example?

Shouldn’t we be loooking out for what we are allowing our kids to see?

After all, ALDI had what I considered Food Pornography on display!

Serious, how else can you explain what I found on their shelf the other day?

There for the world to see right by the register was Pumpkin Spice-

– deep sigh –

Chili…

Yup, Pumpkin Spice Chili.

My eyes didn’t see it the first time as my mind tried to hide the utter horror from my delicate psyche but, YUP, there it was.

Yes, it was auto-entried as a nominee for The Buffet in Hell for 2018.

Just gross!

But..but…but…

Dammit! I could not condemn it without trying it.

Grrrrrr…

I bought a can and hid it in a separate bag to keep from scaring the other groceries. Driving home, I wondered if I needed to stop at the Catholic church for holy water but decided I could probably contain any demons on my own.

Getting home, I opened the can and poured it in a pan to heat. There were odd chunks in the chili that I realized actually were chunks of pumpkin.

It actually smelled really good.

Closing my eyes, I took a huge bite.

Ah, well.

At least the dogs liked it.

 

NOW LET’S DO IT RIGHT!

Pumpkin Chili 

Ingredients:

Ground pork – 2 lbs

1 large red onion

1 large bell pepper

Ground Garlic

Chili peppers – 2 large

1 large can of crushed pumpkin

2 large cans kidney beans

Chicken broth, 1 pint

Chili Powder

Ground Cumin

Sea salt

Ground Cinnamon

Bay leaf

Sour Cream

Secret Ingredient: 1/2 gallon hard cider!

1. Brown the pork and drain the grease.
2. In a large pan, mix the hard cider and the fried pork.
3. Add the pumpkin and kidney beans and bring to a low heat.
4. Clean the peppers and the onion and dice. Add to the pan.
5. In a separate pan, heat the chicken broth and slowly mix in the garlic and other spices to taste.
6. Mix all together in the large pan and simmer until thickened.
7. Top with sour cream and serve with Texas toast.
8. Serves 6
9. Enjoy!

 

Copyright M.J. Hobbs 2018