Ingredients:
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup stone-ground grits
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the grits and stir continually for about 5 minutes or until the broth is completely absorbed. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the pumpkin and spices.

Yield: about 2 servings

My thoughts:

It is pumpkin time again! I was trying to think of something creative and pumpkin-y to make when Old El Paso contacted me about creating a side dish to go with their new frozen chicken quesadillas. Of course, my mind went to Mexican or Tex-Mex. I love pumpkin mole and I love grits so why not combine the two? The result was quick, easy and very creamy thanks to the pumpkin. The spices added just the right amount of mole flavor without having to go through the hassle of actually making mole! I thought it was the perfect complement to the new Old El Paso Chicken Quesadillas, the quesadillas feature salsa verde and sauteed peppers so I didn’t want to make something too similar. So I went in a different direction for my spices; still Mexican-inspired but from a different region. This made for a dynamic dinner that only took a few minutes to make.