pumpkin chili with cornbread smudges

It's sweater time!! Open windows, warm sunny days, cool nights, shorter days. The perfect time to make this autumn chili. It is one of my favorites! The corn "smudges", as I've dubbed them, were an attempt to make cornbread flavored crackers... they tasted great with the chili, but be warned, they aren't crispy crackers. They were crunchy when fresh, but not the next day, and not crispy. They were easy to make, though, and like I said, nice and cornbready tasting.

Pumpkin Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, chopped
2 poblano chile (or other large, mild chiles), chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
2 (14.5 ounce) cans canned peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can Pumpkin
1 (15 ounce) can canned tomato sauce
2 (15.25 ounce) cans beans (I used black and kidney), drained and rinsed
corn cut from 2 ears of corn
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
Salt and pepper

Heat vegetable oil in dutch oven or large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, shallot and peppers; cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until tender and starting to brown. Add turkey; cook until browned. Drain.

Add all the spices, cook for for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Add tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes... longer for better flavor.

Corn Smudges

1 cup corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup boiling water
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons grated cheese (I used cheddar)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix corn meal, sea salt, sugar, pepper, flour, and baking powder. Pour boiling water over this and mix well. Incorporate egg, butter and cheese. Stir until butter is melted. Drop by tablespoon onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and spread thin (the thinner the better) with a spatula or back of a spoon. Sprinkle with additional salt and perhaps some cayenne for bite.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until firm throughout, and darkening along the edges. (The longer you bake them, the crispier they will be. I found that some of mine were a bit chewy, and the ones that were darker were crispier.) Allow to cool for 30 minutes.