Peggy Duncan's Chili

My friend Jane shared her mom's chili recipe with me back when we were in college. I've collected several of my friends' mom's recipes over the years, and I find they're some of my favorite ones. I've made several modifications to this over the years, but it remains my favorite basic chili recipe. I must admit that I last made this for Jane about a year ago, and she swore that my version was "even better" than her mother's-:)

I'm going to type exactly as I copied from Jane, and then add my commentary in parentheses:

Chili

2 lbs ground beef (I rarely use beef anymore, because I don't eat much beef. When I did, though, I liked ground sirloin the best. Tonight, I used ground turkey breast. Jane used to sometimes use soy crumbles, but beef was her favorite)
4 ribs celery
1 green pepper
2 onions
1 close garlic, crushed (I tend to use more)
1 T olive oil (I use a good bit more olive oil if I use turkey breast...say 3-4 T total)
2-4 T chili powder (I love spicy food, so I use at least 4 T, closer even to 5 or 6)
2T flour
1t ground coriander
1t dried oregano
1t ground cumin (honestly, I think this makes it so good)
1 21 oz can diced or chopped tomatoes (I tend to buy petite diced, and I prefer salt-free so I can control the salt)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (same comment re: salt-free)
1 c water (I like my chili a bit soupier than some do, so I tend to use 2-3 cups, sometimes even 4. And, I also often use chicken broth instead of water...I do that with a lot of things)
2 T sugar
2t salt
2 cans beans (I mix this up, but usually one can pinto and one can kidney), drained and rinsed

Brown the meat (I do this on high) and drain; set aside. Saute on medium heat the onion, pepper and celery in olive oil (5-10 min); add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Mix dry ingredients (spice mix) and add to veggies. Stir for 3-4 minutes over heat. Add back in the meat, as well as all the ingredients except the beans. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 hr. Add beans and cook another 30 minutes.

I generally serve with some cheddar cheese and sour cream...but everyone has their own favorite way to eat chili. Enjoy!

Jane would get such a kick out of spreading this around.


P.S.  I also generally add a pinch of red pepper flakes and some hot sauce...the spicier, the better!  yum.

New Year "Fortunes"

Wow! The last time I blogged was early October. Since that time, I've probably thought about blogging dozens of times, but something always kept me away (sometimes something practical; sometimes just didn't have the energy to translate my thoughts into written words).

The New Year seems as good a time as any to get back to it!

On New Year's Day, B and I ordered Chinese food for dinner. The reason: We just returned from nearly a week at the beach, and we didn't have any groceries in the house. My "secret" reason: I love Chinese food, but most of the dishes couldn't be worse for your health, and it was my "last supper" before beginning a healthier diet. We both agreed that it was quite appropriate, as we could open our fortune cookies and read some telling advice/fortune for the coming year. I'm not suggesting that I'd bet the farm that these little slips of goodness are offering actual truth, but it sure seemed like someone wrote them just for us. And, I'm just superstitious enough that I always eat the entire fortune cookie (which I don't really even like), because I believe the fortune won't mean anything unless I do.

Brian's fortune: "In union, there is strength." Brian opened this one. I love this, and it's a great reminder for us. We celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary on December 28th, and our union is stronger than ever. As any of you married persons knows, it's easy to get sidetracked in a marriage, and roughly 50 percent of marriages aren't able to make it. But, if there's one thing I feel good about, it's that B and I have learned how to work as a team...most of the time-:)

My fortune: "You will get a great deal on a major purchase." Sweet! Of course, I immediately joked (not really joking) to B that this fortune clearly suggested we were going to buy a new house in 2010. I waffle between being obsessed with trading up to something larger, and being disgusted with myself for being concerned with something material that I don't really need. It's a constant struggle for me to stay grounded when it comes to my needs versus my wants. There's a whole blog entry there -- or even dozens of entries -- but you get the idea. I do like a good deal!

My second fortune: "Moderate your appetite so that with a little you may be content." Okay, so I cheated and opened two cookies. The Chinese joint gave us three, and it was the New Year, and well, you know. Given my thoughts about the first cookie I opened, this fortune was particularly grounding. Brian, of course, gave me a knowing look (he, bless him, does not struggle with the "wants" that I do). Not only did these words prompt me to stop and take a deep breath, but they were also particularly appropriate as I try to be healthier in the New Year. I know it's the oldest resolution in the book (and the most often broken, I'm sure), but I must do something about these 10 lbs sitting on my middle before I even think about having another baby, and if New Year's resolution helps me, then so be it.

I taped these little bits of paper onto a magnetic notepad on our refrigerator, and I hope seeing them each day will help me to remember these wise words (and serve as a self fulfilling prophecy in the case of the major purchase!).

Happy New Year!