Cozy Winter Squash Chili with Black Beans

This is the best time of year for cozy chili and soups. However, I'm the kinda gal who can eat soup anytime. Even if it's 100 F outside.  I've made chili multiple times and with multiple or different ingredient's. The one that I put together tonight, really topped the charts though. I think it was because it came together differently than I had planned. Funny...I have a lot of favorite recipes that come together differently than I have planned and they end up being "go-to" recipes thereafter. I planned on making this in the crock-pot, but ran short on time. Therefore I partially made it in the Instant Pot on the Chili/Bean setting (a pressure cooker setting), and finished it on the LOW crock-pot setting. It worked out great with lunches to spare for the next day.

By: Kristi

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 4-6 hours

Total time: 4-6 hours and 20 minutes

Yields: 5 servings of 2 1/4 cups each

Cuisine: American/Tex-Mex

Ingredients:

1 Instant Pot

4 slices of bacon

1 pound ground beef sirloin

1 medium onion chopped

1 medium orange pepper chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

4 garlic cloves chopped

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14.5 ounce can of fired roasted diced tomatoes

1 14.5 ounce can of black beans (do not drain)

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

1 12 ounce bag of frozen squash in large chunks

Spices:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of garlic granules

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 tablespoon of parsley

2 tablespoons chili powder

Instructions:

1. Turn on Instant Pot to sauté mode.

2. chop the bacon and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

3. Drop in all of the chopped veggies. (Pepper, onion, and celery). Stir and let sauté for 5 minutes with the bacon.

4. Add in the tomato paste and stir to combine.

5. Next add the garlic.

6. Add the pound of beef and break up with a spoon while stirring to combine with veggies.

7. Add both cans of tomatoes and the beans.

8. Now, add in all of the spices and stir to combine.

9. Lastly add in the whole bag of frozen squash and stir to combine.

10.. Turn off sauté.

11. Lock the pressure cooker lid in place making sure to secure the valve.

12. Hit the chili/bean button and let it cook!

13. Once the cooking is complete, let the pressure come down naturally. It took at least an hour for mine to completely release.

14. Open it up and stir.

15. Turn the Instant Pot to slow cooker on LOW, and set for the time of your preference. We had dinner 3 hours later, so I set mine for 3 more hours.

16. Enjoy!!

** We enjoyed ours with a few Glutino Gluten Free crackers!!