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I had a reader stop by last week and give me a recipe to try, and although I haven’t had the chance to make it yet, I’m legitimately excited to try it soon. It’s the perfect time for (a pumpkin chili) and it sounds delightful. And it just so happened to be a fairly nutritious meal too, so it checks all the boxes.

If at any point you want to submit your must have, to-die-for and can’t miss recipes to me, you’re more than welcome to swing in and drop something off or shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]. I welcome any and all suggestions and I’ll try to include them for the masses!

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VEGGIE CHILI WITH PUMPKIN

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil

2 bell peppers (any color), chopped (2 cups)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Toppers, such as chopped green onions, chopped avocado, chopped fresh cilantro and/or sour cream

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers, onion and jalapeño; cook until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, salt, smoked paprika and cinnamon; cook and stir 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, crushing them with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in pumpkin, bourbon (if using) and maple syrup. (If mixture seems too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water.) Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Stir in pinto and kidney beans. Cover and simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder. Taste for seasoning before serving. Top servings with desired toppers.

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BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA

Kosher salt, to taste 

12 oz. rotini (spiral) pasta

2/3 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. salted butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed into bite-size pieces

Black pepper, to taste

2 celery stalks, sliced thin, plus leaves for topping

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small white onion, diced

4 oz. (1/4 c.) light lager beer

1 c. heavy cream

1/3 c. Buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot, plus more to taste

1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese (about 2 oz.), for topping

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.  

Meanwhile, place the flour in a shallow dish. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, and add it to the skillet. Brown the chicken, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate, and set aside. 

Reserve some of the chopped celery for topping, and add the rest to the skillet, along with the garlic and onion. Cook over medium-high heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beer and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful bits. Add the heavy cream and hot sauce, and bring to a simmer.  

Add the reserved chicken and pasta to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the sauce thickens and everything has come together, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the spice level as needed.  

Serve the pasta topped with the blue cheese, reserved sliced celery, and celery leaves.

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CARAMEL APPLE SHEET CAKE

For the cake:

Baking spray with flour, for the pan

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. vegetable oil

1 c. packed dark brown sugar

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. buttermilk, at room temperature

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

2 tsp. flaky sea salt

For the caramel frosting:

1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter

1 c. packed dark brown sugar

6 Tbsp. buttermilk, plus more as needed

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, until fully combined. Whisk in the vanilla. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, until no flour pockets remain and everything is just combined. Fold in the apples.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

For the caramel frosting: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is mostly dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add ¼ cup of the buttermilk. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Immediately pour the mixture into a medium heat-proof mixing bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk until completely combined. If the mixture seems too stiff, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and pourable.

Working quickly, pour the frosting over the cooled cake, spreading evenly. Allow the glaze to set for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Before serving, sprinkle the cake with the flaky salt and slice it into 12 pieces.

TFD: "The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of" — Henry David Thoreau

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