Senator Padilla of California - His recipe for pumpkin chili

Mr. Padilla just before Thanksgiving, he was making pumpkin chili for his family. Now, we have the recipe, from California’s newest senator himself, below: In a slow cooker, place the following ingredients and let cook for at least 4 hours: 1 to 1.25 pounds seasoned, browned and cubed beef* 2 cups raw pumpkin, cubed ½ onion, diced 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes 1 15-oz can of black beans 1 15-oz can of white beans** 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice Salt to taste. ***Optional, but I like to add: 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 basil leaf, 2 cloves garlic *Feel free to try different meats. I’ve made this recipe with chicken, ground beef and even shredded turkey. ** You can use any kind of beans, really. I’ve used spiced black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, great northern white beans. You can use two cans of the same kind of beans, but I like to use different beans to vary the flavor. (And while you’re here, don’t forget about Cooking.)