When I was a girl, a family could get by on just one income. Dad worked construction. That meant lean times in the winter. We ate a lot of beans. You would think I’d not enjoy a good pot of chili now, but I do. Even in lean times, when a house is filled with love, the rest doesn’t matter.
There is a movement happening in this country – an urging for young people to get married and have children. Was my generation the last to think of marriage and family as a natural progression of life? Or that being a wife and mother mattered? Listen up ladies, we’ve proven we can do anything a man can do, and in some ways do it better. Unfortunately, it also means we can fail just as well. Men and women are different – physically, emotionally, spiritually. There is nothing wrong with that. The Feminist movement did not liberate women. Instead it gave women permission to abandon all that was feminine. That’s just great. We should be so proud that now we can curse, scratch, spit and fart with the best of them. All the more reason to eat beans!
Life is what you make it. The older I get, the more I realize how precious every second is, and how important giving all you have to those around you matters. Recently I read something on Face Book that seems to sum up the world today rather well:
The most important investment you can make isn’t in a bank account… it’s in you. Whether it’s taking care of your health, protecting your peace of mind, or just learning something new, putting effort into yourself always pays off. You are the best project you will ever work on, so don’t be afraid to make yourself the priority.
I agree, the most important investment isn’t found in a bank account. That’s about the extent of my agreement. Sure, health and peace of mind are important. However; tell that to a mother, father, husband, wife. Yeah, this came from someone very much single. Here’s my reply:
Spoke like a man unattached. I’m sorry but I disagree. My happiness comes in the service to others. My peace of mind comes from an outpouring of love and compassion for those around me. The biggest problem I see in the world today is that we spend too much time focused on improving ourselves and not the world around us. Between the two of us, I think I’m getting the better return on my investment. It will be here long after I’m gone.
What can I say – I have my opinions and I’m not afraid to express them even to someone of celebrity status. We all put our pants on one leg at a time.
Enough of all this rambling. We’re here to talk Chili and there is nothing like a big pot of spicy beans on a windy evening in March. The first time I made this particular recipe, there was a lot more heat going on. I’ve since cut back on the Cayenne and New Mexican Chili Peppers. I’ve learned that having heat that builds is a whole lot more enjoyable than having it so hot right for the get-go that you can’t even finish a bowl. This chili was thick and hearty. Once supper was finished, I packaged up what was left and stuck it in the freezer. Later, on some quiet lazy night I’ll grill up a few dogs for a Chili Dog supper.
Beefy Two Bean Chili with Chorizo
1 cup Pinto Beans
1 cup Pink Beans
2 cups Beef Stock
1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb Chorizo
1 tablespoons Cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon New Mexican Red Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seasoning
Pick over the beans. Rinse lightly. Soak beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse beans again.
Pour beans into a crock pot. Pour beef stock over beans. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours. Check the beans – if they are soft, it’s time to add the other ingredients. (You want your beans to be tender BEFORE adding any seasonings. Adding spice, especially salt, too early will cause beans to become tough).
Brown ground beef and chorizo together in a large cast iron skillet. Crumble the meat as it cooks, breaking it into small, uniform size pieces. Add the spices to the meat as it cook. Once cooked through, drain off any fat. Add the seasoned meats to beans, stir well and continue to cook in crock pot on LOW until beans are tender, about 2 hours. (At this point, add an additional cup of water or stock if the beans appear too dry).
When ready to serve, taste and adjust spices as desired. Awesome with a slice of skillet cornbread
Southern Skillet Cornbread
4 teaspoons Bacon Drippings
1 cup Yellow Cornmeal, divided
1 cup Flour
3 tablespoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Baking Powder
1 tablespoon Baking Soda
1/2 cup rapidly boiling Water
1 cup Buttermilk
1 large Egg, beaten lightly
4 tablespoons Honey
Butter as desired
Note: Cornmeal mush of just the right texture is essential to this bread. The mush must be smooth without overworking the batter. Don’t rush the buttermilk and you’ll have less lumps to break up. Another “must” is a hot cast-iron skillet. Although the bread can be made in a cake pan or square casserole dish, that would just be too “Yankee” to do the bread justice.
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Set 8-inch cast iron skillet with bacon fat in heating oven.
Measure 1/2 cup cornmeal into medium bowl and set aside. Mix remaining 1/2 cup cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in small bowl; set aside.
Pour boiling water all at once into the 1/2 cup cornmeal; stir to make a stiff mush. Measure buttermilk into a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk egg and honey into the buttermilk. Slowly add buttermilk mixture to the mush.
When oven has reached temperature and skillet very hot, stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Pour hot bacon fat into batter and stir to incorporate, then quickly pour batter into heated skillet.
Place skillet back into the oven, then immediately lower the temperature of the oven to 425 degrees. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, slather butter over the top of the hot bread, melting into the bread.
Slice, serve straight from the skillet with more butter.
Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
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