10.09.2009

Spicy White Bean & Sausage Chili with Goat Cheese



I'm swamped. And so is our backyard.

To clarify, I'm not drowning in work, but the deadlines and travel have me glued to the airplane seat and computer chair for much of my days, and Nick and Kevin get most of what's left. Dinners have been quick & easy fare, and lunches are breakfasts are hasty. Copious amount of coffee are drunk these days. And tea. Strong, black tea.

Although I miss being in the kitchen, I realize that I like being (mildly) stressed best. I complain--a little--but, I'm happy. Additionally, I've stopped having recurring dreams (nightmares) about discovering I never completed my high school calculus class. Now, if I could just find a machine that magically cleans my house, I'd be near bliss.

As substitute, I made a pot of chili. The humidity has been insufferable of late in these parts, but this morning it broke with a torrential thunderstorm. At once, the weather turned grey and nipping, allowing me to dream of home in the Bay Area in between my typing. I started feeling antsy, so I looked through the pantry and found that I had the ingredients to make a pot of the chili that earned me a category prize in the Better Homes and Gardens Annual Recipe Challenge last year. The category was limited to five ingredients or fewer, but I've upped the list to six ingredients here, subbing a 12-ounce bottle of beer for the 1 an 1/2 cups water.

Happy Friday everyone!

My GalTime Video: Spicy White Bean, Sausage, & Winter Squash Chili with Goat Cheese

This may sound like an unusual combination of flavors, but trust me when I say this will soon become a family favorite. Though it has but six ingredients, and requires a mere 20 minutes to prepare, it will taste like you’ve been cooking all day. The salsa is one of my favorite stealth ingredients for quick meals: the cooked peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and chipotle deliver tremendous flavor in one fell swoop.
1 1-pound package bulk sage sausage
1 15-ounce can white beans, drained
1 and 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin (unsweetened)
1 cup chunky-style chipotle salsa
1 12-ounce bottle dark beer
1 cup crumbled goat cheese (about 3 ounces)

In a large saucepan cook sausage over medium heat until sausage is brown and no pink remains, stirring to break up meat; drain fat. Stir in drained beans, pumpkin, salsa and beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with goat cheese. Makes 4 generous servings.

12 comments:

Kelly said...

Unique as always. I love the addition of pumpkin and imagine it would be equally good with butternut squash. It adds such unusual color and I am guessing the flavor would be good as well.

Nutmeg Nanny said...

There is not one thing I do not like about this soup! The added goat cheese makes its beyond delicious in my opinion.

Camilla said...

Thank Kelly and Nutmeg Nanny! I think you'll love it :) Fast, easy & delicious!

Kerstin said...

I can see why your chili was selected for a prize, it sounds delicious (especially with the beer!)!

Barbara said...

What a fascinating combination of ingredients- especially the pumpkin. Can't wait to give it a try. Football Sunday might be a good time.

mercy said...

ooh, that looks really yummy! I've been wanting to do something intriguing with pumpkin lately. This will be perfect. Why are you traveling so much lately? What's new with you? I need to email & catch up!

Shannon said...

oh my gosh, this sounds absolutely delicious!!

Catherine said...

I am a vegetarian. Do you think this would be good without the sausage or should I try to substitute some meat-like product, like soy sausage?

Camilla said...

Catherine,

I can speak from experience that YES you can make this vegetarian, with eae. I made two pots of this for a cooke decorating party last Xmas, and made the vegetarian pot using GimmeLean Soy Sausage. It was really yummy! You could also use Boca crumbles, and I think it would be delicious with chopped prtobellow mushrooms in place of the sausage, too (add some sage and thyme)

Dee said...

Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I am vegetarian and substituted soy sausage & used vegetable stock (I couldn't wait for my boyfriend to return from the store with dark beer).

The results were fantastic, my meat eating BF enjoyed the veggie swap outs and the chili is so easy & so comforting on a chilly fall evening. Can't wait to try again with some dark beer :)

Hakim Hashmi said...

White Bans.....WOW great food n u added...........n make it more delocious

Adrien Webb said...

Made this dish last night and absolutely LOVE it! So quick, easy and delicious! I didnt take the time to find sage sausage, but had some ground turkey in the freezer, added some sage myself - yum yum yum

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