Chilly out....so we're having Chili!

I don't know what it's like where you are at but here it is cold......with snow, ice, sleet, wind, and freezing rain....all at the same time! Yup, I'm in southern Ohio! Two days ago it was in the 60's, now, not quite! Anyway, all this cold weather make it perfect to make homemade chili!

YUM!

I love making chili because it is super easy to make and it is easy to change up the basic recipe. So here is my basic recipe—a large can of spicy chili beans, a can of fire roasted tomato cooking sauce, a pound of ground meat, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder.

 You can use any ground meat you want. I'm using turkey this time. Usually I put some seasoning in the meat while it's browning but I cooked this straight from frozen so I didn't put any seasonings in it. I change up the meat between turkey, chicken and beef but you could also use ground pork or venison or veal or any other meat. So, I put the beans, cooking sauce and browned meat into a big pot.

You could use a crock pot and let it simmer all day, though. So mix them all together and then add the spices. How much you add is totally up to you. My family likes things a little spicy so I add quite a bit of the spices.

 

 

 Cook on high until it just starts boiling. Make sure you stir it often so it doesn't burn. Once it gets to boiling, turn the heat down to simmer and put a lid on it and let it simmer until you are ready for it. If you want a thicker chili, take the lid off for about the last half hour to cook off some of the liquid.  If you are cooking it to serve right away, don't put the lid on.  Just let it simmer away.  Give it a few stirs every once in awhile so it doesn't stick to the bottom.  Mine will be simmering for about 2 hours. It lets the flavors marinate together wonderfully.

Once it gets warmed up, you can taste it to adjust the spices. Change up the spices, too. Use whatever you like! Sometimes I will add a can of Rotel to it but only when we want extra spicy as I already use spicy chili beans! You could add some diced or shredded potatoes or some vegetables. Anything really.

 

 We usually serve ours with sour cream and shredded cheese. When I was young, my mom always served chili over mashed potatoes. We usually have a bread with it too.  I'm making biscuits tonight. And whatever else you want. I'm going to make some roasted potatoes and probably a salad and pineapple. I always try to have one or two vegetables, a bread and some fruit with our dinners.

Delicious!

I'd love to hear what your favorite cold weather meal is!

Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Whew! 

Now that Thanksgiving is over and it's legal to play Christmas music (lol), I have a question for you. 

 

When do you put your tree up?

 

Personally, we go and get our tree on December 13, Music Man's birthday.  It's a tradition we started back when we were first married (many, many, MANY years ago!).  We leave ours up until Epiphany, if we have watered it enough and it survives! Decorations in the house start going up the day after Thanksgiving though. We work a little at a time so our house slowly becomes Christmasfied!  It also reduces a lot of stress of getting everything done at once. 

 

 

 

I decided several years ago that the holidays needed to be stress free.  I can't enjoy the season if I'm all stressed out.  Sometimes things don't get done that I wanted to get done, but you know what, it's okay.

 

Enjoying the holidays and celebrating the birth of our Saviour is more important. 

 

Everything doesn't have to be perfect.  Try this year to enjoy the holidays and celebrate what is important---Jesus and family.