Unusually "Chili" in Texas

Today is a cold day: freezing temperatures, snow in some areas, sleet in others... I believe that is a bad thing to most Texans. After all, February is almost over. But to me, I'm reminded of home (Ohio). Strange as it may seem, I live for cold days. Cold days remind me of my childhood home. I remember staying inside by our amazing fireplace; snuggled up in my favorite squishy chair by the window watching it snow. And what snowy day is complete without something warm to fill your belly?! There is no snow in sight for me today in Texas. But I am inspired to give you a recipe for chili. This is by no means my "Famous White Chicken Chili." (I'll write about my White Chicken Chili another time) But I actually like this other chili better!

Let me tell you about it: This recipe has evolved over a few years for me. And I believe it's absolutely perfect. My recipe came from an old family recipe for "Slumgullian Chili." There is quite a bit of debate about what Slumgullian is or where it came from. But my understanding is that it's English in origin and is defined as "a thin stew of meat and vegetables." Now, you must understand who I am. I am a cook who can't for the life of her follow a recipe the way it is written (unless, of course, it's for baking. That's completely different!). If I am given a recipe, chances are, I'll change it up quite a bit. So after more than 10 years of eating my step-mother's Slumgullian Chili, here is MY recipe: I call it "Momma's Mud."

Momma's Mud Chili

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
2 TBSP tomato paste*
2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) tomato soup
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15.5 oz) kidney beans (drained) Why aren't all cans the same size?!?!
1/2 c. beef stock (more if you like thinner chili)**
2 TBSP white vinegar
3-4 TBSP chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 medium zucchini (sliced into quarter circles)
prepared elbow macaroni noodles

*I HIGHLY recommend tomato paste in a tube. You'll find it in the pasta/tomato aisle. Just pop it back in the fridge when you're done using it! It's like toothpaste!
**You may also use water, but beef stock provides a much deeper flavor.

Brown the meat in a large heavy pot (I use enameled cast iron). Drain the juices and continue to brown the meat until it is caramelized. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. When the onions are just tender, add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add rest of ingredients EXCEPT zucchini. Simmer until thick (about an hour) adding more beef stock of you want to thin it out a bit. The last 20 minutes of cooking, add zucchini and cook until desired tenderness. Serve chili over cooked macaroni noodles and whatever fixin's you like (cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc.).

Chili variation:
add 1-2 tsp. chipotle chili powder for a spicy, smokey kick!

Hope you enjoy my family's favorite red chili! And let me know how it turns out!

A Lesson in the Grocery Store

It seems like a simple enough task to run to Wal-Mart the day before the Super Bowl, right? Right! We only needed a few things: milk, sugar, eggs, etc. So my husband and I pack Zachary into the car and head off. The walk through the store is remarkably easy. And we manage to avoid the chip, soda, and beer aisles altogether... a feat in itself! Remember, the Big Game is tomorrow! Anyway, as we are waiting in line to check out, a mother, grandmother, and 2 young children pull up behind us. The little boy was maybe 2 years old and he was a hysterical mess. I just smiled knowing what it is like to have a loud, crying child in the store. I always sympathize with the parent. That's embarrassing! The other child, a baby, was snug in her car seat in the cart not making a peep. Grandma was unloading the cart and yelling at little Justin (I learned his name quickly due to all the yelling). And Mom was on her cell phone, yelling at Justin, swearing about the message she had just received: using words I'd never use... let alone in public or to my child! My heart began to break for Justin. Here he was crying (I'm sure because he wanted something he couldn't have), Grandma was yelling at him; so was Mommy. But no one was really paying attention to him. My sweet little boy, Zachary, is such a tender-hearted child. He was obviously concerned for his "friend." Zachary couldn't look away... but kept his ears covered. I hope some of the expletives were muted! And all he could say was, "Oh no, Momma! Crying! So loud!" Ben and I asked him to stop pointing because it's not nice. And that Justin was going to be OK: He was just sad. What a chaotic checkout we had!

As we were walking out to the car, I held Zachary's hand. He skipped happily as I told him I was proud of him for being a good boy in the store. I also held my sweet husband's hand and told him I felt terrible for that little boy. To me, it was no wonder he was acting the way he was. I'd cry too if my guardians swore at me, yelled at me, and pushed me around in front of complete strangers. And all the while, no one made eye contact with Justin. It may be a bit of a snap judgment, but I figured his home life wasn't much different. I just wanted to scoop him up and take him home with us for a few hours.

I do not tell you this story because Justin was being so naughty that I couldn't help but write about it. I also do not tell you this story because I think my son was a perfect angel compared to Justin. Believe me, we've had our share of horrible trips to the store. Though, I'll admit, I was just a little proud of myself. I have never embarrassed my son like that. If we ever have a public problem, I scoop him up in my arms, hold him tightly, look him directly in the eyes, and speak only to him. I tell him that I need him to behave. That his behavior is completely unacceptable and rude, and that if he will not stop, he will be punished as soon as we get home.

Mommies, our children are gifts. Yes, these gifts make us crazy sometimes. Yes, they can drive us up a wall in a matter of seconds. But they are precious...nothing short of a miracle. It is our God-given responsibility to love and nurture them. Part of that nurturing includes punishment, yes, but never demeaning them. My heart is broken for Justin today. My prayer for you is that you are teaching people lessons when you take your children to the grocery store, to the bank, or to school. Everyone is watching. So is your screaming child. Teach them how to react in stressful situations. Teach them how to love the children they may have one day. Teach them self control. One day, these people who once saw you in the store with your hysterical child may remember you. They may not know your name, but they will know your heart. And now you know mine.

Starting Something New

After much deliberation and plenty of encouragement from my friends (Thanks, Amy!), I've decided to start blogging. This is a decision that has taken me months to make. I was so conflicted about what it really was that I wanted to write about.

I'm a Mommy, so naturally, I have PLENTY of funny stories to share. I'm a wife, so I definitely have some advice and lessons I've learned. I'm also an aspiring chef, so I'd love to share some of my recipes, things I learn about food, and even my messes and successes of culinary school. That's a lot to share isn't it?! But my friend (Amy G.) was so encouraging when she told me that I don't have to write about just one thing. My life is multi-faceted, so why shouldn't my blog be as well? And of course, my husband (Ben) believes that I'm a sort of "Wonder Woman." He has never been discouraging about any of my endeavors. He knows I'm so full of passion. He knows I do too much all the time, but my life always seems to be richer as a result. I feel like I have so much to offer to so many people. I'd be irresponsible not to share my life with as many people as I can.

And so, as I tell you about my experiences with motherhood, marriage, and cooking, my hope is that you laugh. I laugh at myself and what happens to me often. I also hope you learn some important lessons. Marriage is a decision to be tough. I wish I had known to write down every marriage lesson ever presented to me. And third, I hope you will be inspired to cook. I adore being in my kitchen. It's a pitiful little thing. My kitchen is not nearly big enough for someone who loves to cook. I don't even have a full-sized drawer in that silly kitchen! But my love for my kitchen is deep. From it comes joy, frustration, and many memories. And for that, I am grateful. I hope that my blogs will fuel a passion for sitting down with your family and eating a meal. I'd say my family sits down for dinner at least 6 times a week... more often than not, it's every day of the week. I cannot stress how important it is for a family to eat together. Sitting down and eating together creates a bond that is difficult to explain.

I hope you enjoy my adventure. What a ride my life is!