Harvest Stew

from Stephanie O'dea of A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
3 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 acorn squash, peeled and chopped
1 whole can tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp all spice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Use a big crockpot for this stew, or cut the recipe in half. Guess what? I didn't brown the meat. If you are using extra lean ground turkey or chicken, there really isn't a need - the only worry about using beef or pork is the fat content. If you prefer those types of meat, or already have it on hand, brown on the stove top and drain before adding to the stew.

I used my mom's microwaving-the-squash trick for cutting the acorn squash, and it worked. It worked so well, I'm not scared to buy squash anymore. I microwaved it on high for 2 minutes. It sizzled and freaked me out, but it cut easily, and I used a paring knife to cut away the skin.

Peel and chop all of the vegetables, and add it to the crockpot. Break up the ground meat with your fingers and add it in. Dump in the kidney beans and the can of tomatoes and chilis. Add the broth and the seasonings. Stir well. It will look like there isn't enough liquid, but more will be made from the vegetables and meat. I promise.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. I cooked ours on low for exactly 8. It was perfect