Pork and Sweet Potato Chili

Pork and Sweet Potato Chili ~ This is the perfect recipe to mix up chili night with succulent pork, sweet potatoes, white beans, and warming Mexican spices.

Updated text:

Life in Northern Utah, particularly starting around September can get pretty chilly. As my family in Southern California right now are battling nearly 100° weather, I am in flannel, hoodies, and socks, with the heater on.

My sister sent me a message this morning, at 6:30 am her time saying it was already 94°. I responded, ‘it might be 30° here.’ Needless to say, we might both lovingly hate each other for our respective weather.

When the opportunity arose to work with Bush’s Beans again (see my last recipe here), I knew with the dip in the mercury, I was making a chili. But what kind?

I shared with you all not too long ago that I have been busy with several other professional pursuits in food media. I’m not spending as much time in my kitchen as I’d like (feel free to play your ‘world’s smallest violin’ for me). As I was tinkering around on my site, I stumbled upon one of my early recipes, this tasty Pork and Sweet Potato Chili, and it was a EUREKA moment. I knew I had to remake it.

So that’s what I planned to do BEFORE the partnership with Bush’s Beans, and the rest was history. I know I can rely on the quality and taste of Bush’s Beans, so without hesitation, I share with you my updated Pork and Sweet Potato Chili.

For the most part the recipe is the same as it was originally published. I did adjust a few quantities of the spices, other than that, no changes. Enjoy!

Original text:

Has life gotten busy for you? I have no idea why, but I’m swamped.  I have one kid.  She’s not in a single activity…yet.  I really cannot account for the extra hectic-ness in my life, maybe it that Mercury in retrograde thing I read about online yesterday. Whatever it is, I barely have enough time in the day to put clothes on and get my daughter to school on time.  I’m lucky if my teeth are brushed before noon.  Dinner, well, lately that has been leftovers or sandwiches.  At least I had delicious leftovers, but those officially ran out.

Luckily, I have a slow cooker and know how to use it.  I decided to make a chili, but wanted to turn it on its side. Pork and sweet potatoes sounded good and then I just started going with Mexican flavors.  After I had it all assembled and ready to cook, I tasted it and it was missing something. Normally, this is where I stare into the pantry or refrigerator to figure out what I was missing, but this time, I knew instantly.

It needed chocolate.  Now before you call me crazy, unsweetened chocolate is a common ingredient in Mexican cooking. I went into the deep recesses of my baking cupboard and pulled out the cocoa powder.  I added just a bit, and a choir of angels gathered and sang…in Spanish.  It was beautiful.