Let Me Tell You About My Day....and A CHILI RECIPE!!

Hey guys.  It's just about 4 o'clock 1 a.m. (the day got away from me) and I am calling it quits.  I don't think my brain can handle much more.   ***If you want to skip my rant and go straight to the recipe, scroll down.... :)

It started out great.  BoBo slept in until 11.  He is the perfect child.  This morning was really nice and he was in a pretty good mood.  My hubby let me know that they were going to lunch around 1 and I should meet them there.  No prob.  Got the babe all strapped in and off we went.  When we got there, I decided to not take my purse in, but just Brody's diaper bag...locked the car and went inside.  Food was good and Brody was the smiliest baby eatin' his pinto beans, green beans, corn bread, fried apples, tilapia, hush puppies, mac and cheese, french fries, etc. (a shmorgasboard of everyone's plates). We are walking out to our cars and....where are my keys? Oh!  They are in my purse that was locked in the car!  Awesome!  After about 15 minutes of Brian's dad and bro-in-law trying to open the door with a coat hanger and pliers, we all knew it was no use.  There was a spare key back at my house.  Well...I know you mama's jaws are going to drop and I was freaking out the entire time, but we drove back to the to the shop (family-owned) from the restaurant in my father-in-law's car...which didn't have a car seat.  So Brian and I took turns holding him in the back seat.  I was on edge the whole time, praying my FIL wouldn't do anything crazy.  Brodster loved it and was soooo squirmy!  We went to Brian's parents house to get a spare car seat and then I got in Brian's car, drove home to get the spare key, then back to where my car was to get my purse out of the back seat.  I had to go to the bank to deposit a check and when I went to get my bank card it was MIA.  Lawd have mercy!  Not to mention, by this point Brody was crying because he was sooo tired and ready for his nap.  So I had to get him out and haul him inside to see if they could deposit it anyway.  Luckily, they could!  Phew!  The lady gave him a grape sucker.  This was Brody's very first sucker and he didn't realize that the stick was where you were supposed to hold it.  Oh, and purple drool was on the overflow.  And he kept trying to play the drums with my chest.  So...as soon as we walked outside, I threw the sucker on the ground (litterbug), sat Brody in may lap and baby wiped him down.  When I put him back in the car seat, he was P.O.'d!!!  He cried the whole way home and I finally took a sigh of relief when I walked in the door.  I took him straight to his crib and he slept for about 3 hours.  I have been so forgetful lately, you'd think I'd have pregnancy brain.  I DON'T!  Trust me!  I checked! ha!

So....since you have stuck it out this far, I'd thought I would throw in a SUPER QUICK (I'm talking 15 minutes) chili recipe that everyone seems to like....so I think it may be a winner for you too!  I usually wait until fall to make this and my husband asks for it almost every week.  The pictures below are from last week and I made it again tonight!  YUM!

 DISCLAIMER: When I made this last week, I just started taking pictures on a whim to add to this here blog without realizing that I didn't have all of the correct ingredients!  Sorry!  The ing. listed below are what I always use.  Since it was our first pot of chili for the season, I didn't realize that I didn't have all I needed.

Feeds 6-8.  Serving Size:  a big 'ol bowl :)
Ingredients:
1 lb. of meat of your choice (we use ground turkey because it's less fat, but ground beef is great too!)
1 package of McCormick Mild Chili seasoning
1 package of McCormick Hot Chili seasoning (but I only use a little bit (about 2 Tablespoons), so there will be some left over for the next few times.)
2 cans of pinto beans
2 cans of Del Monte Zesty Chili-Style Diced Tomatoes
About 1 cup of water (or more if you are letting it simmer for a long time)

Toppings of choice-I like Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream and Oyster Crackers

Directions:

**So this can be made all in one pot or the cooked meat can be transferred to the crock pot where the other ingredients are added to it.  Your choice.  I chose one pot. :)

Brown your meat in a large stock pot. ** If using ground beef, drain excess grease.

Add all of your Mild Seasoning and 2 T of the Hot.  Stir to incorporate.






Add your two cans of pinto beans, juice and all.  Stir.

SUPPOSED TO BE PINTO BEANS!!

**You can do this step while the meat is browning to go quicker.  Dump the contents of your 2 diced tomato cans in a bowl (if you have a hand held blender) or food processor.  You are just pureeing your tomatoes until they are liquified.  The flavor is incorporated as the base of the soup.  If you like chunky tomatoes in your soup, then I suggest only pureeing one can.
 


Pour contents into soup.  Add water.  Stir.  Simmer on Low/Medium Heat until hot throughout.  If crock potting, then do low heat for a couple of hours and adjust your water.
 

While I am waiting for it to heat up, I do the few dishes I got dirty!

Add toppings and devour.   Even better the next day!

Little man's bowl of chili tonight: 

Happy Eating!