Saturday, December 23, 2006

Woo hoo!

All my packages are in as of yesterday!

Post office shipments were there yesterday and then FedEx showed up at my door as I frosted cupcakes for the kids bonfire and racing on The Lake.

I am all done with shopping and just have a few more items to wrap.

I am making Chili for Christmas Eve. A tradition that was started with Doug's folks in Florida. We went down there one year and she decided she was going to do chili on Christmas Eve. So when we came home, the next Christmas we did the same and have been since. I usually did a canned version of Chili soup, but this year, I am going to try homemade.

I found several recipes online that I thought sounded good and will probably do a combine, add a little of this and that and walla!

One homemade chili site suggested "Pepperbellies" which I have never had. A handful of Fritos-brand corn chips and top that with chili, cheese, onions, salsa, sour cream and pickled jalapenos. My family won't eat jalapenos, so that will not be an option for us, but the rest of it sounds quite good!

This is the The White House Executive Chef Henry Haller's Chili recipe. It was President Reagan's favorite Chili:

1/2 cup bacon drippings
2 cups chopped onions
4 chopped garlic cloves
2 pounds coarsely ground beef
1 Tablespoons Chili powder
2 cups red wine (optional)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon beef base
4 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
4 to 6 cups cooked pinto beans

Melt bacon drippings in heavy 1 1/2 gallon heavy pot, saute onions and garlic cloves in it. Add ground beef and chili powder. Stir until meat is well browned. Add red wine (optional). Add salt, beef base, tomatoes, bay leaf and sugar. Simmer chili meat, covered, for twenty minutes, stirring often. Add pinto beans to the meat. Simmer chili con carne for 1 hour, covered over low heat, stirring gently from time to time. Test for flavor. Yields 16 servings.

Here is another recipe that looks interesting.
Southern Recipe: Homemade Chili and Beans by Kent Fletcher.

"Be safe" to all those traveling to see family during the holiday season.

Waiting for more snow here, I was baking yesterday and heard the Alarm come on the radio. So I stopped and listened. Big snow storm on it's way, bringing up to ten inches of snow....

Yoo-hoo S*N*O*W? We are still waiting?

I can't believe Alexis Dustene is nine. It was her birthday yesterday and we will celebrate with her and her family today. I took this picture of her yesteday during the fun time on The Lake. Happy birthday Little Lady! I love you so much.

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