It's finally chilly outside!! Time for chili inside!!

I am determined to mend my ways when it comes to my blogging habits. I have had my mind fuller than usual with school, schedules, meal planning, church, and other new activities.
But I've really missed getting on here and sharing my thoughts with you!
It has seemed for the past three months, that my imagination has been on vacation or otherwise engaged, keeping me from coming up with any new and exciting ideas to give you. But I must admit that I've been looking forward to fall and holiday posts since I first started blogging.

I absolutely LOVE this time of year!! I find myself marveling at God's ingenious handiwork more than usual when it blinds me every time I get in the car or walk down the road. I love looking at the beautiful colors, taking the kids to the pumpkin place, watching Ally and Meg rake up the front yard then run in and get the little ones to come make a mess of their piles, sitting around the firepit making smores, and making chili.
Which leads me to today's topic. Chili seems to have the widest variety of recipes of any food that you can prepare. There is chicken chili, chili with beans, chili over rice, white chili, spicy chili, turkey chili, slow cooked chili, canned chili, shrimp chili, green chili, and vegetarian chili. I have never in my life tasted two bowls of chili from two different kitchens that tasted even at all the same. I have been to chili cook-offs where there were twenty different kinds of chili and they were all completely different.
I have seen people use all different kinds of secret ingredients to make their chili special. I've heard of peanut butter, sour cream, ground cloves, coke, cider vinegar, mushrooms, brown sugar, cheese, cumin, jalapenos, onion, peppers, barley, and carrots.
What is also funny, is that without fail, that woman's family thinks that their Mom's chili is "The best!". I totally agree!!

When I first got married, my version of chili consisted of ground beef, canned tomatoes and ground cloves. I was perfectly content with that but my poor husband was definitely not. He preferred his chili full of huge kidney beans and poured over rice. Being from the south, I had simply never heard of filling your chili with beans and pouring it over rice. But wanting to make his stomach happy, I decided to come up with my own recipe.

After attending a yearly fall party at some friends house, I was introduced to a very hearty chili recipe. This one was very beany with very little juice in it. The exact opposite of my recipe. Jonny could only have been happier if their had been a large barrel of rice next to it.
I got the recipe from this lady and for a year or so, followed it faithfully. My problem was that I HATE kidney beans!! I think they are way too...thick? Meaty? Beany? Well too something or other.
I also like a little more juice in mine, just in case you want to dip your cracker in or crumble up a little cornbread in it.
So I took this recipe, and did what I very often do. I changed it!
Not everything mind you. This lady had found some great ingredients that add an incredible flavor to any chili. Such as cider vinegar, and sauteed onions.
I have now found the perfect chili for my family. Every single one of us is happy with it. At least, that's what they tell me.
I have never tried to write my recipe down, because I do it a little different every time since it is all in my head. This will be my greatest effort in sharing it with you.

Brown 1 to 1 and 1/2 pounds of ground chuck with 1 or 2 large onions until no pink remains. I don't always drain off the grease unless their is alot of it. If there is just a little in the bottom, it adds really great flavor. Then I add a can of black beans, a can of great northern beans, a can of chili beans, and a can of pinto beans. Be sure and drain these. Next I put in a large can of tomato sauce and a large can of diced petite tomatoes. Then I add a package of mild chili seasoning. Stir all this letting it simmer as you keep adding things. As far as my spices go, this part will certainly frustrate you, because I leave all my spices on the counter and keep adding more of this and more of that until it tastes just right. Which would explain why I'm always full before it's done.
I add lots of chili powder. Probably two tablespoons full. Then I throw in two bay leaves, salt, pepper, parsley, and about three tablespoons of cider vinegar. I also toss in a pinch of dry pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. Just enough to make Jonny happy without killing the rest of us.
The cider vinegar is definitely the trick. Don't leave it out!!

This is the best I can do, and in case you haven't found your secret chili recipe yet, you can share mine. As long as you promise to do a little thing or two to make officially "your own":-)

My goal is to see you next Tuesday around this same time!