Recipe #4: Gameday Chili

 It has been a while since we had any version of chili in the Baldner home; with to-day's drippy 50's and college football the agenda, I thought it high time. The local Polly Market has these pork 'tenderloins' marked down to $2.49 a pound, but they're really two loins together mushed inside the plastic packaging to make it look like a tenderloin you could slice into chops, etc. I quartered lengthwise one of the loins and then diced it into bite size chunks, then marinated it over night in soy sauce and garlic. Oh how those two enhance the flavor of my favorite cut of protein! The last of our sweet bell peppers and a few slices of homegrown chilis round out this comfort food favorite.

To-day's ingredients:

1 lb 83% ground turkey

1 lb diced pork loin

2 small yellow onions diced

1 sweet bell pepper diced

several slices of pickled jalapeno, sans seeds

10 oz Miller Lite

1 ear of Bently Lake Farms sweet corn

1 can Kroger diced tomatoes

I can Kroger no salt black beans - rinsed and drained

1 can Brooks mild chili beans

1 squeeze of tomato paste

1 squirt yellow mustard

several dashes of Worcestershire

I started by cooking the meat, and adding to the crock pot on high everything else. I chose to not add any further seasoning to this batch, so the flavor of the meat and vegetables would be the focus.

 

I let it cook on high starting at about 9:00. Around 10 brought the first hints of that early melded flavor. By 12:30 I had to have a small bowl. Between the hours of 1 and 3 I put a good dent in the quantity. Pretty darn good.

While the chili was cooking, I warmed up the kitchen by baking a couple of our favorite baguette loafs. 

Praise be to God!

Do You Hear What I Hear

Lincoln Logs better than Legos

My neighbor is playing Jimmi Hendrix really loudly and that is an anomaly around here (the loud part, Hendrix not withstanding). I have been coming up with topics to write about of late and have not set down and done anything about it. Shame on me. It is high time.

Some folks in the neighborhood were selling Lincoln Logs for $5 and it triggered memories aplenty. I remember making cabins with windows and a sturdy green-planked roof with those - I loved how easily they would stack and fit together. These days, as I am morbidly obese and infirm, I only watch YouTube videos of Dave and Brooke doing this for real - they actually live in the homes they build - and long for the freedom and gonads to do just that. 

We have been blessed with hummingbirds galore these past few weeks, all frolicking around and drinking from our lone feeder. Male chasing male, female scolding female, one male doing the solo pirate mating dance, OH, we are seldom without our small winged chattering friends - praise be to God the Creator of all that is beautiful!

Earlier this afternoon I had my second follow-up visit with the wound and trauma folks at St Joseph in Ann Arbor. I received high marks for the daily care (thank you, Monica ;-) and for the healing progress. No more visits are necessary, they say; they do want to see a photo of the wound in two weeks. I am encouraged by the progress, and know that I must do my part to reduce the swelling in both legs.

I deposited two pounds of moth balls under our home near the bedroom, in hopes of repelling the obnoxiously loud rodent that frequents there. The naphthalene seems to have kept them out from under the bedroom, but I still hear them northward - under the second bedroom. I will order more come payday, and we will see if they are totally repelled. I have no idea what they (he/she/it) are doing, but it sounds like a morse code ticker immediately under the house. Obnoxious at 2:30 am, when I am typically trying to discern whether Lieutenant  Kendrick is showing any signs of remorse while perguring himself.

Sweetie is with Pops tonight; I have uploaded the documents requested to apply for financial aid for my recent three day 55k hospital bill. God, please provide, in Your mercy.

I have been so blessed to be able to pray daily (most days) the rosary, asking for intercession for all our family, friends, and neighbors. God is good - and I know He hears our prayers.