Every year about now, the biggest sporting event in America rolls around: the Superbowl. There are many famous things about this game: the rivalry of the teams, the personalities of the players, and the best commercials of the year. But my favorite thing about the big game is the food.

Now I don’t mean chips and dip, or hot wings from the local sports bar. I want something homemade, hearty and spicy. And easy…especially if I’m the one planning the party. And I love chili. I wanted to make mine a bit healthier, but still spicy, and pair it with some good wine–no beer for this girl.

So I found a Pumpkin Chili Mexicana recipe, added extra pumpkin, extra tomato sauce and some beans with jalapeños, then topped it with fresh arugula (cilantro works well too), crème fraîche, white pepper and grated cheddar/jack cheese (shown above). This recipe is so versatile! And it goes well with wine.

Meat Substitutions:

• Use ground lamb instead of turkey, with fresh mint and Feta cheese.
• Use ground ostrich instead of turkey, with fresh oregano and Gruyère cheese (good ostrich can taste like filet mignon).
• Use other exotic ground meats like rabbit or bison – these are a bit harder to find, but I’ve been recently inspired by meat-loving chefs in Los Angeles to try them.

Wine Pairings:

• Lighter chilis go very well with dry to off-dry Pinot Gris or Riesling, like those from Alsace, France. You can also find excellent styles of Pinot Gris from Oregon.
• Darker chilis go well with a Rhone-style blend or varietal. Try a full-bodied Grenache or GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). There are also many good choices from Australia and California.

So enjoy the Superbowl, try a new combination for your chili, and take a virtual wine tour. You’ll find the best pairing before the first commercial.

Pumpkin Chili Mexicana

Adapted from Very Best Baking

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb. ground turkey
  2 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin puree
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 can (15.25 oz.) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
• 1/2 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

HEAT vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add turkey; cook until browned. Drain.

ADD tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chiles, corn, chili powder, cumin and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.