Two worlds collide

Chili and spaghetti? Together? You're not from around here, are you?



It does exist people. Its a Cincinnati thing that became an Ohio thing. Take a look

Might I suggest waiting to start any diet plans until after you eat this. If you are entering a weight loss contest, perhaps you should try it right before weigh in. Really, there is no healthy way about this.
Skyline Chili can't really be duplicated (or so, I have heard). And if you are Skyline Chili lover, there is no substitute for it. Just ask the Sullivans. This recipe comes close though. It was good. Really good.

One note - This chili isn't thick. Its soupy. You aren't messing up if its soupy. It is suppose to be that way.

Jim goes with red beans and onions. I skip the onions. I mean, I'm watching my weight.

Cincinnati Chili and Spaghetti
2 T veg oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chili powder
2 T sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2lbs ground chuck
1 6oz can tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 C water
2 T chopped unsweetened chocolate
1 T cider or red wine vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
12 oz cooked spaghetti
1 19oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Grate cheddar cheese
Oyster crackers for serving, optional. Cuz you can never have enough carbs with chili

Heat the oil in a medium dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chopped onions and garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, all spice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Cook, stirring, until mixed and fragrant. Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring until beef is no longer pink.
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water. simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally until slightly thicker. Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook uncovered until the mixture is thickened some, but still soupy. About 15 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf, and season the chili with some freshly ground pepper. Divide the spaghetti among bowls, and top with chili, beans, remaining onion, and cheddar.

To Kathy, Emily, and Jennifer

Meet Reid

Congratulations to our friends Jessica, Drew, and big brother Braden.

Why I didn't make the bed today

It seems the sides are split on making the bed. I personally like the bed made daily. I actually need it to be straightened before I get it. Its my little quirk, just roll with it.

Anyhoo...This is Cooper. She likes to burrow herself under the covers, in fact some days after the bed is made, you will go in and see a lump in the middle of the bed. That would be Cooper. So today, I go to make the bed and look what I find. I let her stay, and skipped the bed making.
I'm a rebel sometimes, what can I say.
And yes I love her and our other cat Cagney but no, I am NOT a crazy cat lady. I have two cats people. Two.

Carrie wins, Browns....not so much

It was Lobsterfest at the Browns Backers of the Palm Beaches on Sunday. I won a raffle, but that was where the luck ended. Browns lost 13-10.

Explain to me how the Browns could lose when I was cheering them on wearing these shoes

Oh Canada....How I love thee candy!

I won a bet. This candy more than fulfilled the bet. Thanks for letting me win Derek!

Let me tell you...Those Smarties you see are NOT the little bits of powdery sugar lumped together in a disk like they are here. They are, as we Andersons call them "The rich mans M&M"
And Mr Big....O M G. Kit Kat like wafer, coated in caramel, peanuts, and rice crispies and then covered in chocolate. So good that I am hoarding them from Jim.
I think one of each is perfect acceptable and well balance dinner...eh?

Writers Workshop Wednesday

This week was tough for me. Really tough. I struggled with what to choose and how to write about it. And even still, I don't think its my best work. It was a tough week for me.

• I don't really recall anything I did in my like to really get noticed.

• I don't like playing the rearrange your life game. Mainly because I try to enjoy what life is now for all that it is. And I really believe that changing one thing, changes lots of other things, and then you are on a slippery slope. I know I know, its just a writing idea, but still I am just making my point.

• I wish someone told me....I don't know about that one. I don't look back and think that there was something I really should have known. The few things I do think of are kind of sad, and I am not in a sad place.
  

• What do you love to create.

So, here I am. #4 it is

Have you ever baked someone a birthday cake?
Taken a casserole to a friend or neighbor who is a little under the weather?
Handed a co-worker a plate of fresh cookies?

Do you remember their reaction?
I do, all of them. Every single one...

I remember being excited when random co-workers would stop by the department to see what was fresh baked for them to snack on.
I hold on to the thank you note from a friend who was grateful I dropped off dinner after her and her husband brought home their new baby.
I take pride in hearing people say "You should open your own bakery"
I smile ear to ear when Jim's co-workers call me the cupcake lady

I would say that I love to create food and that is this absolute truth, but you can't take away from the feelings and memories tied to it.
You may eat your cupcake and go about your day never thinking of it again. And that's fine, but I enjoy knowing that maybe for just a minute, I made someone a little happier.
That something I created, something I worked on made a difference. Even that difference was just a short lived sugar rush.