RockPaperFire.com

After having this recipe in my posession for about 2 months I finally decided I would make it. 

Makes 8 to 10 servings (I halved it)

Ingredients:

• 6 large dried ancho chiles* (about 3 ounces), stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
• 6 oz bacon, diced
• 1 1/4 pounds onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 5-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
• Coarse kosher salt
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/2 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer
• 1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
• 4 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash (from 3 1/2-pound squash)

Garnishes:

• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Chopped red onion
• Diced avocado
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Warm corn and/or flour tortillas

Preparation:

Texas Beef Brisket Chili

Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.

Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.

Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Recipe by Bruce Aidells

The cup cakes:

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream (at room temperature…or close)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1.5 package candy corn

Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 1 1/2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Fold in the candy corn (don’t use the mixer). Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cup cake cup (make sure to spray these first), filling it three quarters of the way full. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cup cakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

The frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
• a pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup whipping cream (Cool whip also works)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 10-15 candy corn flavored Hershey Kisses
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Melt Hershey Kisses in a double boiler with the vegetable oil, allow to cool slightly. Mix together butter, confectioners sugar, and a pinch of salt until it’s creamy. Increase your mixer speed to high and beat until its light and fluffy. Add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat until its smooth. Fold melted Hershey Kisses into the frosting. Once cupcakes are cool or at room temperature, frost them, then make sure you tell everyone that you could only make about 12 so you can have the rest for yourself. This last step is very important.